Russia-Ukraine war live: Zelenskiy to visit Washington; Kim and Putin give each other guns | Volodymyr Zelensky

Kim Jong Un stops to view fighter jet factory as Russia and North Korea warned against arms deals.

News via P.A.:

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un stopped in a town in Russia’s far east on Friday to see a factory that makes the country’s most advanced fighter jets during his long trip, hinting at his interest in sophisticated weapons, as the United States and others have warned Moscow and Pyongyang against entering into banned arms transfer deals.

Kim visits Russian weapons and technology sites, meets with president Vladimir Poutine have raised speculation that it would provide ammunition to Russia for its war efforts in Ukraine in exchange for receiving advanced weapons or technology from Russia as the two countries deepen ties while both are increasingly increasingly isolated and sanctioned in separate confrontations with the West.

Russian news agency RIA Novosti published a video showing Kim’s armored train arriving at a station in the city of Komsomolsk-on-Amur and Kim’s convoy leaving the station shortly after. The TASS news agency said Kim and local Russian officials were heading to a factory that produces Su-35 and Su-57 fighter jets.

Kim is next scheduled to travel to Vladivostok to see Russia’s Pacific Fleet, a university and other facilities, Putin told Russian media after his summit with Kim.

Hello and welcome to our live coverage of the war in Ukraine. I am Jordyn Beazley with the latest developments.

The Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is expected at the White House and Capitol Hill next week during his visit to the United States for the United Nations General Assembly.

Zelenskiy trip comes as Congress debates president That of Joe Biden calls for providing up to $24 billion in military and humanitarian aid to Ukraine as it fights the Russian invasion.

We’ll return to this story later, but first here’s a summary of today’s news from Ukraine:

• Cuba is not against the legal participation of its citizens in the Russian war in Ukraine, the official Russian news agency RIA reported Thursday, citing the Cuban envoy in Moscow. Last week, Cuban authorities said they had arrested 17 people in connection with a human trafficking ring that allegedly lured young Cuban men to serve in the Russian military. The Cuban ambassador to Moscow, Julio Antonio Garmendia Pena, said: “We have nothing against the Cubans who simply want to sign a contract and legally participate in this operation with the Russian army. But we are against illegality and these operations which have nothing to do with the legal field,” declared the ambassador, quoted by RIA.

• Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong-un gave each other guns during their meeting in Russia’s Far East., the Kremlin announced Thursday, confirming that the isolated Russian leader would visit North Korea, although no further details were revealed. The Russian president, who is seeking to strengthen his alliances with other hard-line leaders, met with Kim on Wednesday amid speculation they could agree on an arms deal to bolster Russia’s war in Ukraine .

• Britain’s most senior military officer, Sir Tony Radakin, said Ukraine “continues to hold the initiative, it pushes Russia back.”» in a brief assessment of the current state of the fighting.

• Russia said it was expelling two U.S. diplomats accused of working with a Russian national accused of collaborating with a foreign state.. The United States said the move was unprovoked and completely without basis. Separately, Slovakia has expelled a diplomat based at the Russian embassy, ​​the Slovak Foreign Ministry announced on its website on Thursday. The ministry said: “The reason is his activities, which constitute a direct violation of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.”

• South Korea expressed “deep concerns and regrets” following a meeting between North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and Russian President Vladimir Putin.which apparently focused on expanding military cooperation.

• Alexander Lukashenko left Belarus on Thursday for an official visit to Russia, according to its press service. Talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin are scheduled for Friday.

• Satellite images appear to show the dismantling of a Wagner militia base southeast of the Belarusian capital, Minsk. Footage of activity in recent weeks showed the dismantling of tents at the Tsel military base in the Mogilev region and could indicate the end of the Russian mercenary company’s presence in the country after a brief mutiny in Russia.

• Bulgaria decided on Thursday not to extend a ban on Ukrainian grain imports to five eastern EU countries, which is due to expire this week., reported AFP. The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry reportedly said that any decision by European states to extend restrictions on the import of Ukrainian food products from September 15 would be illegal and harm common economic interests.

• Ukraine’s military said Thursday it damaged two Russian patrol ships in the Black Sea in an early morning attack.. Ukraine also claimed to have destroyed a Russian air defense system near the town of Evpatoria in occupied Crimea in a drone and missile attack carried out Thursday morning by Ukrainian security services and the navy.

• A six-year-old boy was reportedly killed and others injured by Russian bombing. in the village of Novodmytrivka, located in the Kherson region.