Russia has reportedly sent 25-thousand tons of wheat in humanitarian aid to North Korea, which is suffering food shortages after last year's drought. 

The Russian Embassy in Pyongyang said on Thursday in a Facebook post that Russian Ambassador to North Korea Alexander Matsegora visited the North's western port of Nampo earlier in the day to observe a cargo ship that arrived with the shipment. 

The vessel reportedly delivered Russian wheat to the North Korean port from the Black Sea port of Novorossiysk. 

The embassy said that the crew had been placed under quarantine and the ship was being unloaded in an isolated zone of the North Korean port in an apparent effort to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. 

It added the unloading process would be completed next Tuesday or Wednesday as rains are expected to arrive soon. 

The embassy said that the North Korean Foreign Ministry expressed gratitude for the aid provided during the difficult time.