The West is worried about what Russia and North Korea are planning. The Kremlin confirmed that North Korea’s leader Kim Jong Un arrived in Russia’s Far East on Tuesday morning. Kim Jong Un invited Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin to visit North Korea during the rare summit, stoking US concerns that a revived Moscow-Pyongyang axis could bolster Russia’s military in Ukraine and provide Kim sensitive missile technology.
The White House has warned that arms negotiations between North Korea and Russia have been “actively advancing” in recent weeks, saying Moscow aims to buy weaponry from Pyongyang for use in the Ukraine war. Russia and North Korea deny those claims.
The US repeated warnings to North Korea on Monday not to send arms to Russia, reiterating that any arms deal or military support for Russia’s war in Ukraine would directly violate a number of UN Security Council resolutions, such as the prohibition of all weapons trade with the country. It has said it is ready to impose more sanctions against North Korea if there is a deal.
Kremlin Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov dismissed the US’ warnings, however, telling reporters that Moscow and Pyongyang are not interested in “warnings from Washington.”
Putin accepted Jong Un’s invitation, according to North Korean state news agency KCNA, though there was no immediate confirmation from the Kremlin. Since Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, Putin has rarely travelled abroad.
Calling each other “comrades”, Putin and Kim toasted to their friendship on Wednesday with Russian wine after the 70-year-old Russian president showed Kim, 39, around Russia’s modern space launch facility and they held talks alongside their defense ministers.
“At the end of the reception, Kim Jong Un courteously invited Putin to visit the DPRK at a convenient time,” KCNA said, referring to the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, North Korea’s formal name.
“Putin accepted the invitation with pleasure and reaffirmed his will to invariably carry forward the history and tradition of the Russia-DPRK friendship,” KCNA said.
For the United States and allies, the burgeoning friendship between Kim and Putin is a concern: Washington has accused North Korea of providing arms to Russia, but it is unclear whether any deliveries have been made.
Both Russia and North Korea have denied those claims, but promised to deepen defense cooperation, and during a visit to North Korea in July, Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu was shown banned ballistic missiles by Kim.
Kim was due on Thursday to visit military and civilian aviation factories in the Russian city of Komsomolsk-on-Amur and to inspect Russia’s Pacific fleet in Vladivostok, Putin said.
Thursday drone attacks in Crimea, Ukraine
Explosions rang out in occupied Yevpatoriia, Crimea, on the morning of 14 September, reports Ukrainska Pravda.
The Russian Defense Ministry reported a drone attack on Crimea and an attempt to attack the Black Sea Fleet patrol ship Sergei Kotov by unmanned surface vessels (USV).
Suspilne noted that a local resident reported several powerful explosions. In addition, Suspilne published photos and videos from the scene and later added that explosions in Crimea were heard near the village of Uiutne, west of Yevpatoriia.
“Ambulances and rescue workers are driving through the streets. As local residents told Suspilne Crimea, military unit No. 85683 is deployed in the area where the explosion was heard,” Suspilne said.
The Crimean Telegram channel ChP Sevastopol [Emergencies Sevastopol] reported four powerful explosions. But as of now, it is unclear if it is about the explosions that local residents have written about or whether they are new ones.
Nataliia Humeniuk, Head of the Joint Press Centre for Operational Command Pivden (South), reported that the Ukraine’s Defense Forces are working to destroy Russian targets.
The occupying authorities of Yevpatoriia and Crimea have not yet commented on the explosions.
However, TASS, referring to the Russian Defense Ministry, claimed that Russian air defense systems destroyed 11 drones over Crimea, as well as naval aviation of the Black Sea Fleet, which destroyed three more USVs of Ukraine’s Armed Forces.
The Russian Defense Ministry reported at 07:22 that Ukraine’s Armed Forces tried to attack the patrol ship of the Black Sea Fleet, Sergei Kotov, in the waters of the Black Sea with five USVs at around 05:00. The Russian Defense Ministry stated that five USVs were allegedly destroyed by fire from the ship’s standard weapons. The Russian Defense Ministry claimed that five uncrewed boats were destroyed by fire from the vessel’s regular weapons. They also reported that they had supposedly downed 11 UAVs that had attacked Crimea.
‘Sham elections’ won’t alter G7 support for Ukraine, ministers say
The foreign ministers making up the G7 said in a joint statement that Russian-instigated elections in occupied areas of Ukraine would not impact the countries’ support for Kyiv.
“Russia’s attempt to create a situation of fait-accompli through these sham ‘elections’ will not alter our approach nor our support to Ukraine as it fights to reclaim its internationally-recognized territory,” the statement said.
“We will stand with the Ukrainian people and continue to provide the financial, humanitarian, security and diplomatic support Ukraine requires for as long as it takes.”
The comments come after G7 leaders, comprising Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the UK and the US came together at the G20 summit in New Delhi on September 9 and 10.
Germany wants to encourage partners to boost Ukraine’s air defenses, foreign minister says
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said Berlin would encourage partners to deliver any available air defense systems to Ukraine ahead of winter, speaking in an interview with newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung.
“We have to build a winter shield of air defense systems across Ukraine’s critical infrastructure,” Baerbock told FAZ, adding that Germany would be making more IRIS-T missiles available to Ukraine in the coming months.
Germany’s foreign minister visited Kyiv Monday and said that while Ukraine’s place was in the European Union, more needed to be done to tackle corruption in the country.
Sweden to consider sending fighter jets to Ukraine, media reports
The Swedish government will ask its armed forces to investigate the potential for sending Gripen fighter jets to Ukraine, Swedish public radio (SR) reported on Tuesday, citing unnamed sources.
The government wants to know, among other things, how a handover would affect Sweden’s defense capabilities and how quickly Sweden could get new Gripen fighters, SR reported.
The government may make a formal request to the armed forces as early as Thursday to officially consider the issue, Swedish Radio said.
According to the SR report, Ukraine has expressed hope of receiving one division, consisting of between 16 and 18 of the Swedish-made jets, which are produced by defense contractor Saab.
Compiled by Ana Dumbadze
