Russian President Vladimir Putin has gifted North Korea dozens of animals, including a lion and two bears, as a gesture of friendship, Russian officials announced on Wednesday.

The move comes as Moscow and Pyongyang strengthen their political, military, and cultural ties amid Russia’s ongoing conflict with Ukraine. Both Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un have publicly emphasized their growing camaraderie.

According to Russia’s natural resources ministry, the animals—including an African lion, two brown bears, two domestic yaks, five white cockatoos, 25 pheasants of various species, and 40 mandarin ducks—were transferred from the Moscow Zoo to Pyongyang Zoo.

A video shared by the ministry shows the animals being unloaded in cargo boxes from a government plane, along with footage of the lion settling into its new enclosure at the Pyongyang Zoo.

This isn’t the first time the two leaders have exchanged gifts. Putin previously sent Kim 24 purebred horses, known to be among the North Korean leader’s favorites, while Kim gifted Putin a pair of local dogs.

Earlier this year, the two nations—both heavily sanctioned by Western powers—signed a mutual defense pact requiring immediate military assistance if either is invaded. Western governments, along with Ukraine and South Korea, have alleged that North Korea recently sent over 10,000 troops to Russia to fight against Ukrainian forces.