Russia's security chief in fresh visit to N. Korea: Russian news agencies
Russia's security chief Sergei Shoigu arrived on Tuesday in North Korea to meet leader Kim Jong Un for a second time in less than two weeks, Russian news agencies reported.
The head of Russia's Security Council "arrived in Pyongyang on special orders from Russian President Vladimir Putin to exchange with North Korean officials in the framework of putting in place the agreements reached during his last visit on June 4", news agencies quoted a council statement as saying.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Tribune
4 hours ago
- Daily Tribune
Russian strikes kill 16 in 'horrific' attack on Kyiv
Russia launched dozens of drones and missiles at Kyiv in the early hours of Tuesday, killing at least 16 people and wounding dozens of others, as negotiations between Kyiv and Moscow break down. President Volodymyr Zelensky described the latest overnight barrage as "one of the most horrific attacks" on Kyiv since the Kremlin launched its brutal invasion of Ukraine more than three years ago. Zelensky said a total of 440 drones and 32 missiles were launched in the strikes nationwide and urged the international community not to "turn a blind eye". Russian President Vladimir "Putin does this solely because he can afford to continue the war. He wants the war to go on," he said. AFP journalists saw smoke billowing over the capital's skyline at dawn and a multiple-storey housing block gutted by the attack. Rescue workers were scrambling to find any survivors buried beneath the rubble. "It was probably the most hellish night in my memory for our neighbourhood," 20-year-old student Alina Shtompel told AFP. "It is indescribably painful that our people are going through this right now." More than three years into its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Moscow has stepped up attacks despite efforts by the United States to broker a ceasefire. Talks have stalled. Moscow has rejected the "unconditional" truce demanded by Kyiv and its European allies, while Ukraine has dismissed Russia's demands as "ultimatums". - Diplomatic 'facade' - Zelensky had been hoping to speak with US leader Donald Trump on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Canada, but the US leader cut short his visit, amid the escalating conflict between Israel and Iran. Russia hit some 27 sites in Kyiv overnight and some residents were left without electricity, officials said. Tymur Tkachenko, the head of Kyiv's military administration updated an earlier toll of 14 dead, saying two people had been pulled from the rubble at the scene of one strike. "The search continues, as there may still be people under the ruins," he said. One person was also killed and 10 wounded in the southern port city of Odesa, while attacks on the Sumy and Kherson regions later in the day killed two others, authorities said. The Russian defence ministry said it had carried out precision strikes on "military-industrial facilities in the Kyiv region," in a statement similar to those releases after major attacks. Germany vowed in response to "increase the pressure" on Russia. The strike showed that "Russia is using diplomacy merely as a facade," the foreign ministry wrote on X. "Putin doesn't want a solution, he wants capitulation." - US citizen dead - Dozens of residents took shelter in a metro station in central Kyiv, sleeping on mats, exchanging information on attack or reassuring pets, AFP journalists reported, while drones buzzed and explosions echoed out over the city. "I was asleep. There was a loud bang. The window was smashed, and glass rained down on me," Sergii, another Kyiv resident, said. Residential buildings, educational institutions and "critical infrastructure facilities" were all hit, Interior Minister Igor Klymenko. Kyiv's mayor reported earlier that a 62-year-old US citizen had died in a Russian strike on the capital's Solomyansky district. Zelensky's chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, said the new attacks showed Moscow was "continuing its war against civilians". Tens of thousands of soldiers have been killed on both sides since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, according to independent monitors and Western intelligence agencies. Russian forces have been steadily advancing across the sprawling front line even since the inauguration of Trump brought about an uptick in US efforts to secure a halt in fighting.
Daily Tribune
9 hours ago
- Daily Tribune
Russia's security chief in fresh visit to N. Korea: Russian news agencies
Russia's security chief Sergei Shoigu arrived on Tuesday in North Korea to meet leader Kim Jong Un for a second time in less than two weeks, Russian news agencies reported. The head of Russia's Security Council "arrived in Pyongyang on special orders from Russian President Vladimir Putin to exchange with North Korean officials in the framework of putting in place the agreements reached during his last visit on June 4", news agencies quoted a council statement as saying.
Daily Tribune
9 hours ago
- Daily Tribune
Global Oil Markets at Risk Amid Israel-Iran Tensions, Says Russian Analyst
A leading Russian energy analyst has raised alarm over the potential fallout of escalating tensions between Israel and Iran, warning that the global oil market could spiral into crisis if the conflict deepens. Alexander Frolov, Head of the Russian Institute for National Energy, told media that any prolonged military conflict between the two nations could lead to direct attacks on oil and gas infrastructure, pushing prices dramatically higher. 'If events unfold the way they did during the last round of strikes, which ended quickly, there will be minimal impact,' Frolov explained on his Telegram channel. 'But if the current crisis escalates, the oil and gas infrastructure in both countries will come under threat.' Frolov noted that while Iran is not the top oil supplier globally, it still exports 1 to 1.5 million barrels per day to nations like China. 'Any disruption would increase prices,' he said, though he added that losses could be partially offset by China's reserves or increased OPEC+ output. His most alarming scenario involves a potential blockade of the Strait of Hormuz — a critical waterway through which around 20 to 21 million barrels of oil transit daily, representing nearly one-fifth of global consumption. 'If other countries get involved and shipping in the Strait is disrupted, we could see oil prices shoot up to $300 — or even $1,000 per barrel,' Frolov cautioned. Oil prices have already begun responding to the geopolitical uncertainty. Brent crude and West Texas Intermediate (WTI) both rose roughly 7% by Friday's close. The exchange of strikes between Iran and Israel has reignited fears over disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, a maritime chokepoint crucial to the global energy supply chain. Experts warn that any extended conflict could severely impact global oil availability and prices.
