Russia has admitted drones were deployed to monitor beaches during Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s July meeting with Kim Jong Un in North Korea. Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova confirmed UAVs shadowed the high-profile visit, calling drone surveillance a global priority. The revelation comes amid growing Russia–North Korea military ties, from a mutual defense pact to thousands of North Korean troops deployed in Russia’s war. Western diplomats warn of an “unprecedented escalation” as Putin, Kim, and Xi present a united front against the West.