A Russian military plane made an unannounced trip to Pyongyang this week, days after defense minister Sergei Shoigu’s high-profile visit and talks with leader Kim Jong Un, according to NK News analysis of flight tracking data and satellite imagery.

Details such as the purpose of the visit from Tuesday to Wednesday and personnel involved are still unknown, with Russian and North Korean state media yet to report on the matter. But it appears related to following up on Shoigu’s delegation visit and possibly agreements made with Kim. 

Analysts have speculated that the two could have made weapons deals, while U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken again accused Russia over the weekend of “desperately looking for support, for weapons … in North Korea” to use in its invasion of Ukraine. 

According to flight tracking website Flightradar24, a Russian Air Force Il-62M with registration number RA-86559 flew from Moscow to Pyongyang on Aug. 1, arriving after 8 a.m. KST. 

NK News analysis of Planet Labs satellite imagery shows a plane matching the look and dimensions of an Il-62 in front of the terminal of Pyongyang International Airport at 11:28 a.m. on Aug. 2.

The Russian plane then departed Pyongyang after 9 p.m. KST on Aug. 2, indicating it was on the ground for around 36 hours. 

The aircraft is a VIP passenger plane used for military delegations, and previously took Russian deputy defense minister Alexander Fomin and a team to Pyongyang for military talks in July 2019.

Given the type of plane, the visit was unlikely to involve pickup or delivery of major weapons systems, though some form of transfer of goods or payments cannot be ruled out. 

Planet Labs imagery also suggests the nuclear weapons expo Shoigu toured with Kim was ongoing as of Aug. 2, meaning Russians in town that day could have visited the event as well. A large tent covering benches in front of the venue, temporarily installed before the event started last week, was still up just before noon on Wednesday, and vehicles were in the main parking lot outside.

Russian defense chief Shoigu traveled to Pyongyang with a large military delegation from July 25 to 27, attending the expo and military parade and holding talks with his defense ministry counterpart and multiple meetings with Kim Jong Un. 

He reportedly discussed the results of his meetings with Russian leader Vladimir Putin upon his return to Moscow.

Meanwhile, the Russian Embassy has sought to rotate personnel who have been in the country since 2019, but it is not yet clear when this will take place despite Pyongyang allowing foreign visitors and air travel in the last week. It is also unclear whether the two Russian military flights facilitated any diplomatic rotations.

Edited by Bryan Betts

Updated on Aug. 3 at 12:54 p.m. KST with details about a weapons expo possibly ongoing in Pyongyang, and at 1:32 p.m. to clarify lede.