Russian leader Vladimir Putin’s looming visit to North Korea will soon put the two countries’ burgeoning relationship to the test, and could reveal whether their military ties are truly built to last.

Many regard Russia’s dalliance with North Korea as fleeting, centered on the war in Ukraine and unlikely to continue beyond it. 

Yet deep structural shifts are pushing both countries into a durable alliance, and there’s good reason to believe that they’re in it for the long haul.

On the one hand, North Korea regards the outside world