N Korea’s leader wraps up Russia trip

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un left Russia yesterday 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 eastern region, which began 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.