TOKYO, June 18. /TASS/. Russia is displaying its military superiority over Western countries on the battlefield in Ukraine while Western hardware, including US-made Abrams tanks, is turning into scrap metal under strikes of the Russian military, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said.

"The Russian leadership turned on the wartime economic system and adopted a flexible economic strategy right after the launch of special military operations, thus achieving stable economic development and promoting the qualitative and quantitative growth of munitions industry despite the super-tough pressure by the US and the West. This is a remarkable success. Russia's military edge is further assured on the Ukrainian battlefield," it said in an article.

"Such Western weapons as the US Army's main battle tank 'Abrams,' billed as the 'strongest in the world,' are reduced into 'masses of scrap iron' by strikes from Russian forces. And this has become commonplace on the Ukrainian battlefield. Screams of bitter defeat have already been heard in the Western world witnessing Russia's overwhelming strength. Just as the Red Army and the Soviet people defeated fascism, singing aloud the song 'The Sacred War' in the last century, the Russian army and people, their honorable descendants, will continue to glorify the tradition of victors in the present sacred war to defend the sovereign rights of the country and ensure regional and global peace and security," the news agency stressed.

"The Korean people will always be on the side of the Russian government and people, extending full support and solidarity to their struggle to defend the national sovereignty and security interests, frustrate the imperialist hegemony and high-handed practices and build an independent multi-polar world," the KCNA stressed.

Russian President Vladimir Putin will pay a state visit to North Korea on June 18-19. Russian presidential aide for international affairs Yury Ushakov told reporters that a comprehensive strategic partnership treaty between Russia and the DPRK could be signed following the head of state's trip to Pyongyang. He specified that the need to conclude such a deal was due to the new international landscape that has formed; the document will not be directed against other countries.

On the eve of his visit, the Russian leader wrote an article for the Rodong Sinmun newspaper where he praised North Korea’s support for Russia’s special military operation in Ukraine.