The Latest: Kim heads to Russia for summit with Putin

The Latest on Kim-Putin meeting (all times local):

1:15 a.m.

North Korea says leader Kim Jong Un has left for a summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The North's state media say Kim departed Pyongyang by his special train at dawn Wednesday as he heads to Russia with top officials.

Kremlin adviser Yuri Ushakov told Russian news agencies on Tuesday that the Kim-Putin summit will take place Thursday at Vladivostok, a Russia city on the Pacific.

Ushakov said the meeting will focus on North Korea's nuclear program.

Kim's Russia trip comes about two months after his high-stakes nuclear summit with U.S. President Donald Trump ended without any agreement because of disputes over U.S.-led sanctions on the North.

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4:25 p.m.

A Kremlin adviser says that President Vladimir Putin will meet the North Korean leader in Russia's Far East on Thursday.

Yuri Ushakov told Russian news agencies on Tuesday that the much-anticipated talks between Putin and Kim Jong Un would be held in Vladivostok on the Pacific Ocean and would focus on North Korea's nuclear program.

Local media have reported preparations and strict security measures undertaken in Vladivostok where the Korean leader is expected to arrive by train.

Kim had two summits with U.S. President Donald Trump, but the latest one in Vietnam in February collapsed because North Korea wanted more sanctions relief than the United States was willing to give for the amount of nuclear disarmament.

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10:20 a.m.

Preparations are underway for a summit between the leader of North Korea and Russia's president.

The Kremlin confirmed earlier this month that Kim Jong Un would meet with President Putin before the end of the month but has not named the place or date, citing security concerns.

Russia's port city of Vladivostok on the Pacific Ocean, in the meantime, is seeing a number of unusually strict security measures.

Maritime authorities said on Tuesday that the waters around Russky Island, the likely summit venue, will be closed for all maritime traffic between Wednesday morning and Friday morning. Separately, local media reported that several platforms at Vladivostok's main train station will be closed for several days.

Kim, like his father, avoids air travel and is likely to travel to Vladivostok by train.