MOSCOW, June 18. /TASS/. The West has failed to contain or isolate Russia, President Vladimir Putin said in his article for North Korea’s Rodong Sinmun newspaper ahead of a state visit to the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK).

"No matter how hard they tried, all their attempts to contain or isolate Russia have failed. We continue to steadily build up our economic capability, develop our industry, technologies, infrastructure, science, education and culture," the Russian leader said.

Putin will be on a friendly state visit in the North Korean capital, Pyongyang, on June 18-19. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un invited Putin to pay a return visit during his stay in Russia last September. While the Russian president accepted the invitation at once, the perfect conditions for a visit have just aligned.