Main Topic: Russia's defense minister accompanies North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to a defense exhibition featuring banned ballistic missiles, signaling a boost in ties between the two countries.
Key Points:
1. Russian defense minister Sergei Shoigu visits North Korea, marking the first visit by a Russian defense minister since the fall of the Soviet Union.
2. The visit by the Russian and Chinese delegations signifies North Korea's first major opening up to the world since the coronavirus pandemic.
3. The display of banned ballistic missiles at the exhibition suggests Russian acceptance of North Korea's nuclear program, raising the prospect of more open support for North Korea.
Main Topic: Russian aggression in Ukraine and its impact on civilians
Key Points:
1. A Russian "guided air bomb" hit a blood transfusion center in northeast Ukraine, killing two people and injuring four.
2. The city of Kupiansk and its outlying settlements, previously seized by Russian troops, have been under heavy shelling and attacks.
3. Renewed global peace talks are taking place to find a way to start negotiations and end Russia's war in Ukraine.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un may travel to Russia for a summit with President Vladimir Putin, where Russia seeks to buy ammunition from North Korea in exchange for food, energy shipments, and transfers of sophisticated weapons technologies.
### Summary
Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong Un are planning to meet in Russia to discuss possible weapons deals, which could help replenish Russia's ammunition stocks amid Ukraine's counteroffensive.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken expresses gratitude to US embassy staff in Kyiv during his visit to Ukraine, acknowledging their courage and the challenges they face in the midst of the war; Ukraine's new defense minister, Rustem Umerov, vows to take back all of Ukrainian land from Russian control and bring home all those in captivity; at least 16 people are killed in a Russian missile attack on a market in the Donetsk region of Ukraine; Blinken arrives in Kyiv for his third visit, discussing the progress of Ukraine's counteroffensive; the UK plans to classify the Russian mercenary group Wagner as a terrorist organization; parts of a Russian drone fall on Romanian territory after targeting a Ukrainian port on the Danube River; the Kremlin accuses the US of intending to keep the war in Ukraine going "until the last Ukrainian"; Rustem Umerov becomes Ukraine's new defense minister; Ukrainian officials believe the second line of Russian defenses in the south may be weaker than the first; Blinken praises the "good progress" of Ukraine's counteroffensive during his visit to Kyiv.
Former U.S. President George W. Bush believes Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is tough like a Texan and warns that if Russia's President Vladimir Putin is not stopped in Ukraine, the U.S. will have to be involved in supporting neighboring countries like Poland, Lithuania, and Latvia.
Ukrainian Armed Forces advance against Russian positions near Robotyne and maintain pressure on Russian positions south of Bakhmut while Russia faces limitations due to redeployments and slow Western aid, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who also denounces Russian bombing of Ukrainian cities and Moscow-organized local elections in Ukraine.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and his forces in occupied southern Ukraine are determined to retain control of Crimea, as it is key to Russia's regional power projection and allows them to dominate the Black Sea region, project force into the Mediterranean, and supply their units in neighboring oblasts.
The European Union condemns the "illegitimate" elections held in Russian-annexed parts of Ukraine, while a UN official says that Russia's aggression in Ukraine is synonymous with torture and inhuman cruelty; meanwhile, the Kremlin spokesperson claims that no one will be able to compete with Putin if he runs for president in 2024, and the UN Human Rights Commissioner states that Russia's withdrawal from a grain deal is fueling global food insecurity. Ukrainian forces regain control of drilling platforms near the Crimean coast and Putin arrives in Vladivostok for the Eastern Economic Forum, while South Korean media reports that Kim Jong Un is en route to Russia, and Ukraine reports advances in Bakhmut and Donetsk city. Finally, Brazil's President Lula says it's up to the judiciary whether to arrest Putin if he visits the country.
Ukrainian forces have regained control of gas and oil offshore drilling platforms near Crimea, previously occupied by Russia, in a strategic operation that deprives Russia of military capabilities and brings Ukraine closer to regaining Crimea.
The Biden administration is considering whether to send long-range missiles to Ukraine, but a final decision has not yet been made, and it is unlikely to happen before the U.N. General Assembly; if approved, the missiles would provide Ukraine with the ability to strike deep into Russian territory.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has requested weapons and support from North Korea amid the invasion of Ukraine, but experts doubt it will significantly impact the war, according to Gen. Mark Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Russian President Vladimir Putin indicated that he is preparing for a prolonged war in Ukraine, stating that Kyiv could potentially use any ceasefire to rearm and that the US will continue to view Russia as an enemy regardless of the outcome of the 2024 US election.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's visit to Russia has raised concerns that he may provide military support to President Putin's war in Ukraine.
An alliance between North Korea and Russia could impact the conflict in Ukraine by providing Russia with additional weapons and potentially escalate the nuclear arms race in Asia.
The claim that Russian President Vladimir Putin's decision to invade Ukraine was non-rational is flawed, as rationality in international politics is not solely defined by success or adherence to moral standards, but rather by the ability to make sense of the world, employ credible theories, and engage in a deliberative process to achieve certain goals. Putin and his advisers viewed the West's efforts to make Ukraine a bulwark as an existential threat, leading them to believe that the invasion was a war of self-defense aimed at preventing an adverse shift in the balance of power.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un exchanged rifles as gifts during their meeting in Russia, with Putin also giving Kim a glove from a space suit that has been to space several times; Kim's visit to Russia's Far East is expected to last for a few more days.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko discussed the possibility of Belarus joining Russia's efforts to revive an old alliance with North Korea after Putin's recent summit with Kim Jong Un, but there are concerns that this could violate U.N. sanctions against Pyongyang.
Summary: The recent meeting between Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong-un suggests that North Korea is interested in establishing a presence in space and expanding its military ambitions, which has raised concerns among the US and other Western countries about potential arms deals and violations of UN sanctions.
Russian President Vladimir Putin met with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko in Sochi and discussed the possibility of Belarus joining Russia's efforts to revive an old alliance with North Korea after the recent summit with Kim Jong Un, while also addressing the situation in Ukraine.
Russia, under President Vladimir Putin, has increasingly aligned itself with "rogue states" such as North Korea, Iran, Belarus, and Syria, displaying similar traits to these states by crushing political opponents and threatening the West with nuclear weapons, leading some to believe that Russia itself is acting like a "rogue state."
Russia claims to have foiled a coordinated Ukrainian attack on Crimea, with drones also targeting Moscow and causing disruptions to air traffic, while a fire at an oil depot in southwest Russia was reportedly caused by a Ukrainian drone.
Former President Donald Trump welcomes Russian President Vladimir Putin's support for his plan to end the war in Ukraine, causing concern among Ukrainian leaders who fear it would involve giving Ukrainian land to Russia.
Ukraine's defense intelligence agency head, Lieutenant-General Kyrylo Budanov, asserts that despite the slow progress, Ukraine's counter-offensive against Russia is ongoing, and Russia's defensive line in southern Ukraine has been breached in some places, potentially cutting off land connections to Crimea before winter; however, he acknowledges the risk of Ukraine running down its own resources and the uncertainties regarding the continuation of Western support.
Ukraine's special services are likely responsible for drone strikes on Wagner-backed forces in Sudan, raising concerns about the escalation of Russia-Ukraine conflict beyond the frontlines; Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell defends Ukraine's request for more aid ahead of Ukrainian President Zelensky's visit to the US Capitol; President Zelensky warns the UN General Assembly that Russia's invasion of Ukraine is not only about Ukraine but also about weaponizing food and energy and turning other countries' power plants into "dirty bombs"; Zelensky calls for global unity to defeat Russia's aggression and accuses Russia of kidnapping Ukrainian children and weaponizing the food supply; Russian President Putin is seeking support from North Korea and Iran while Ukraine continues to gain support from numerous countries.
Russia conducted a major missile attack on Ukraine, targeting energy facilities and causing power cuts in several regions, marking the beginning of a new air campaign against the Ukrainian power grid.
The Ukrainian army claims to have struck a Russian military airfield near the Crimean town of Saky, while several cities and towns in Ukraine were hit by Russian rockets, killing two and injuring others; Poland has announced it will no longer supply weapons to Ukraine amid a growing rift between the two countries over grain.
Ukraine launched a missile attack on the headquarters of Russia's Black Sea Fleet in Crimea, causing a serviceman to go missing and the main building to catch fire.
Ukraine conducted another attack on Sevastopol in Crimea following a strike on the headquarters of Russia's Black Sea Fleet, while Russian air defenses intercepted missiles headed towards the city and Russia's Foreign Minister, Sergei Lavrov, suggested the resumption of a grain export deal was unlikely.
Russian President Vladimir Putin met with Andrei Troshev, a former commander of the Wagner mercenary group, to discuss the use of "volunteer units" in the Ukraine war, indicating the Kremlin's assertion of control over the group after a failed mutiny in June.
