Srinagar, Sept. 18 -- North Korean leader Kim Jong Un left Russia on Sunday after a rare six-day visit that appeared to solidify his country's ties with President Vladimir Putin, fanning Western fears that Pyongyang could provide Moscow with weapons for its assault on Ukraine.

Kim's tour of Russia's Far East, which began on Tuesday, has focused intensely on military cooperation, including a symbolic exchange of rifles with Putin and an inspection of state-of-the-art Russian weapons.

Kim's first official visit abroad since the coronavirus pandemic has sparked concerns that Moscow and Pyongyang will defy Western sanctions to secure an arms deal that could help the Kremlin continue its assault against Ukraine.

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