Closing summary
This blog is now closing. Below is a roundup of today’s stories:
The North Korean leader, Kim Jong-un, has reportedly departed for Russia for a for what the Kremlin say will be a ‘full-scale visit’ with a ‘formal lunch’ with Vladimir Putin. “It will be a full-scale visit. A formal lunch is also planned,” the Kremlin spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, said. In the US, the Pentagon spokesperson Brig Gen Pat Ryder said: “We do expect some type of meeting [and] based on the information we’ve been provided, KJU is travelling to Russia.”
Putin, meanwhile, has already arrived on his two-day trip to Vladivostok to attend the Eastern economic forum (EEF).
Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, has said the “decision-making process in Germany is moving forward” regarding the supply of Taurus missiles after a meeting with the country’s foreign minister, Annalena Baerbock. Earlier on Monday, Ukraine’s foreign minister, Dmytro Kuleba, urged Berlin to send Taurus missiles to Ukraine as soon as possible.
Baerbock has said that Ukraine’s place is in the EU during an unannounced visit to Kyiv on Monday morning. Ukraine can “rely on us and on our understanding of EU enlargement as a necessary geopolitical consequence of Russia’s war,” Baerbock said upon arrival. Ukraine already has candidate status, said Baerbock. “And now we are preparing to take a decision on opening EU accession talks.”
The UK prime minister, Rishi Sunak, has said Russia targeted a civilian cargo ship in the Black Sea with multiple missiles last month. Speaking to the House of Commons on Wednesday, Sunak said: “I can tell the House today that thanks to declassified intelligence, we know the Russian military targeted a civilian cargo ship in the Black Sea with multiple missiles on 24 August.”
Ukrainian intelligence services claim the country has recaptured oil and gas drilling platforms near the shores of occupied Crimea in the Black Sea.
Serhiy Lysak, the governor of Dnipropetrovsk oblast, reported Monday that overnight there were no casualties in the region, despite Russian attacks. On Telegram he posted to say that some residential buildings and gas pipes were damaged after “the enemy attacked Dnipropetrovsk region with attack drones, guided missiles from tactical aircraft, and artillery”. He claimed that Ukrainian air defences had shot down 11 “Shahed” drones over the region.
An adviser to the acting head of the Russian-controlled occupied region of Donetsk has told Russian news agency Tass that Ukrainian forces have transferred a lot of equipment to Avdiivka. Yan Gagin told Tass “A large amount of Nato equipment, heavy weapons and a large number of Ukrainian armed forces personnel have now been transferred there. The enemy is preparing attacks in the Donetsk direction.”
Russia is sticking to plans to reduce its budget deficit in the coming years, the finance minister Anton Siluanov said on Monday. Reuters reports he said the country will ensure that key areas, including national security and the armed forces, remain well funded.
Rheinmetall has reached an agreement to supply Ukraine with a further 40 Marder infantry fighting vehicles.
Late on Sunday night, Zelenskiy paid his condolences to the families of two foreign aid workers whose van was hit by a Russian anti-tank missile on Donetsk on Sunday. The Ukrainian president said Anthony Ignat of Canada was killed, and that it was “likely” that Emma Igual of Spain had also died in the attack. Two other volunteers – German citizen Mawick Ruben and Swedish citizen Johan Mathias – were seriously injured and are being treated in hospitals in Dnipro. The four volunteers were trapped inside the van as it flipped over and caught fire after being struck by shells near the town of Chasiv Yar.
Updated
Kim Jong-un's Russia trip will be a 'full-scale visit' with a 'formal lunch', Kremlin says
Reuters reports that the Kremlin spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, has said Kim Jong-un’s trip to Russia and meeting with Vladimir Putin will be a full-scale visit.
“It will be a full-scale visit. A formal lunch is also planned,” Peskov said. Video of his remarks were posted to social media by a Russian television journalist.
Updated
