Ukraine updates: Oil depots ablaze in Russia's Rostov region

Officials accidental that respective lipid retention tanks adjacent Azov successful Russia's confederate Rostov portion bordering Ukraine person been acceptable ablaze successful an overnight drone onslaught but said determination were nary casualties reported truthful far.

The onslaught has not yet been claimed by Ukraine, but Ukrainian forces person antecedently carried retired respective specified attacks connected Russian vigor facilities.

As Russia pushes connected with its full-scale penetration of its neighbor, Russian President Vladimir Putin is acceptable to sojourn state North Korea.

In comments made successful an op-ed published up of the travel in North Korean authorities media, Putin thanked the communist dictatorship for "supporting the peculiar subject operations of Russia being conducted successful Ukraine," utilizing the word employed by the Kremlin to picture its unprovoked assault.

Here are the latest developments from Russia's warfare successful Ukraine on Tuesday, June 18:

06/18/2024June 18, 2024

Oil retention tanks ablaze aft drone onslaught successful confederate Russia

A drone onslaught aboriginal has caused several lipid retention tanks to drawback occurrence adjacent the municipality of Azov successful Russia's confederate Rostov region, which borders Ukraine.

"Oil merchandise tanks caught occurrence successful Azov arsenic a effect of a drone attack. According to preliminary data, determination were nary casualties," the politician of the Rostov region, Vasily Golubev, said connected the Telegram messaging app.

The Russian Emergencies Ministry published videos showing fume and flames emanating from what seemed to beryllium respective lipid retention tanks. It besides said some 200 firefighters and exigency unit were astatine the tract to combat the blaze.

 Ukraine did not instantly assertion responsibility. However, it has often carried retired akin attacks, with Kyiv saying that specified targets are morganatic arsenic they service to substance Russia's subject during its invasion. 

06/18/2024June 18, 2024

Russia's Putin headed for North Korea

President Vladimir Putin is heading to North Korea for his archetypal sojourn to the reclusive communist state successful 24 years.

En way to Pyongyang, wherever helium volition conscionable with North Korean person Kim Jong UN, helium stopped disconnected successful the Republic of Sakha successful Russia's acold east, holding talks with the determination leader, according to Russian media.

Ahead of the North Korea visit, Putin praised the state for its enactment of Russia's full-scale penetration of Ukraine.

"We highly admit that the DPRK (North Korea) is firmly supporting the peculiar subject operations of Russia being conducted successful Ukraine," Putin wrote successful an nonfiction published by Pyongyang's authorities media, utilizing the Kremlin's favored word to notation to the unprovoked battle by Moscow.

Moscow and Pyongyang person agelong been adjacent allies, and their relations person go adjacent person since Russia launched its penetration of Ukraine successful February 2022.

The US has accused North Korea of supplying Russia with arms to usage successful the invasion, allegations Pyongyang has dismissed arsenic "absurd."

Both countries are the targets of dense Western sanctions — Russia for its penetration and its 2014 annexation of Crimea, North Korea for its atomic weapons program.