evidence: North Korean leader Kim Jong Un pledged to deepen ties with Russia as he held talks with visiting security chief Sergei Shoigu, state media reported on September 14. Western powers have accused cash-strapped North Korea of selling ammunition to Russia in defiance of sanctions over the more than 30-month war in Ukraine. North Korea has recently bolstered military ties with Russia, with President Vladimir Putin making a rare visit to Pyongyang in June, where he signed a mutual defense agreement with Kim. Kim "affirmed that his government would further expand cooperation and collaboration" with Russia based on the agreement. [...] Ammunition for missile and artillery weapons, including some that came from North Korea, as well as guided aerial bombs, were stored on the territory of a warehouse. A significant portion of the weapons were in the open air, the General Staff said. [...] The Ukrainian Air Force said Russia used two Iskander missiles and 19 drones in an attack on the southern Odesa region, but its air defense systems shot down 18 of the Russian drones early on October 8.