watching to see how this
relationship develops.
Meanwhile, as Russia's defensive
positions frustrate Ukraine, CNN
is getting a look at some drone
operators trying to clear the
way.
Melissa, what is it like for
these drone operators near the
front line?
>> So interesting spending this
night with Ukraine's security
service.
Those munitions that Russia is
desperately trying to get to
feed its war effort, Ukraine as
well, we're alsoring from
military leaders here over and
over again.
It is ammunition we lack.
What we witnessed that night
were there attempts to make sure
they have get to the right
target because they're so
precious and in such short
supply.
Ukraine security service
preparing for a raid across
enemy lines.
In a war of artillery and drones
and plenty of creativity.
It looks almost like they're,
like a toy.
>> Toy with some upgrades and
some innovation.
Some magic.
>> Enough magic that this
specially made drone will travel
far beyond the zaporizhzhia
front line.
In search of a Russian air
defense system, it flies deep
into enemy territory towards a
town that is one of the main
objectives of the southern
counteroffensive.
Tack Mack.
At the other end of the phone
and watching the same screen, a
high Mars unit is ready to
launch.
The call sign of this drone's
unit commander is bank here, a
reminder of his life before the
war when this land was still
Ukrainian.
>> This is Russian vehicles
moving.
This is check point, Russians.
>> But tonight, they've been
unlucky.
The air defense system they
wanted to hit is no longer
there.
Home for tonight is a field
about 15 kilometers north of the
front line using only red lights
to avoid detection, they've got
a bird's eye view of the battle
below and what's happening
beyond.
>> We are hunting for them.
For some time.
We have some results.
We know where they're hiding.
We know where they are moving.
So it's about time just to find
them.
>> Each time it fly, the drone
records precious information.
The state of Russian defenses,
vehicles and systems being moved
even if tonight a Russian air
defense system and its four to
five officers were unbeknownst
to them were spared.
>> We are not disappointed.
We will continue to do it.
>> Until, he says, every last
inch of Ukrainian territory's
been freed.
How long long that takes.
What they told us also that
night we spent with them in this
field, Jim, is that they've been
watching these defenses go up
ever since March of 2022 here in
the zaporizhzhia region.
And what the Russia army doesn't
have is good fighters.
What it puts young men to use
for is digging and building.
That's what the southern
counteroffensive is butting up
against.
It is making limited process,
but it is extremely difficult.
Still, Ukrainians believe there
is some momentum here and
they're trying to consolidate
those gains to the south.
Still, they can see precisely
what lies ahead for them and
it's a lot of work, a lot of
losses and no doubt a lot of
time still.
>> A fascinating look at a
crucial part of this war.
Melissa, thank you very much.
For more on these developments,
I'm joined by Bruce clinger,
former CIA deputy division chief
for Korea.
Also joined by Jean Lee, the
former Pyongyang bureau chief
for the associated press.
Thanks.
Bruce, just how significant is
this potential meeting between
Putin and Kim to negotiate an
arms deal and why now?
>> It's very worrisome and we've
seen in the last year there's
been growing, improving
relations between North Korea
and Russia and it's largely
focused on military
developments.
So far, the developments have
been North Korea providing
ammunition to Russia.
A year ago, there were reports
that they would provide millions
of ammunition rounds.
That number seems high unless it
includes small arms rounds but
most likely 152 millimeter
rounds and multiple rocket
rounds that they have a lot of
and which is compatible with
Russian equipment.
So and we've also seen Ukraine
captured some of that ammunition
and then using it to fire back
at Russia although it was fairly
unreliable.
It's a worrisome development and
now it seems Russia may be
providing technology to improve
north Korean military
capabilities.
That is also very worrisome for
the U.S. As well as critically
important allies, Japan and
South Korea.
>> And that brings me to Jean.
You spent an extensive amount of
time reporting inside north
Korea.
What do you make of Putin and
Kim?
I suppose most of the
conversation would be about
implications for Ukraine but
there's a lot to discuss about
how North Korea might be able to
upgrade its technology and so
on.
>> I would say it's such an
interesting time for North Korea
as the country comes out of more
than three and a half years of
self-imposed isolation.
I've been saying Kim was going
to make this reemergence after
the celebration in July, that he
was going to set the stage to
reemerge.
So he is resurrecting and
strengthening this traditional
alliance with Russia at a
pivotal time.
This is a way for him to
reassure his people that they
may have been isolated for three
years but haven't been forgotten
by this superpower.
And because of the border
closures, they are in desperate
need of food, supplies and
perhaps the technological know
how to help them get their
military, their nuclear program,
to the next level.
There isn't often a time when
North Korea, one of the poorest
countries in the world, can
offer something to Russia, but
here is a moment where Putin has
very few friends and North Korea
has something that he needs.
It comes at a time when they are
standing together in opposition
to a u.s.-led coalition at the
U.N. Security council where
they're facing sanctions.
So it's very interesting for me.
I'm not completely surprised but
like Bruce, I'm very worried
because it clearly has
implications that go beyond the
Korean peninsula.
They extend globally in terms of
proliferation and in terms of
the war in Ukraine.
>> Bruce, it sounds as though
both sides, North Korea and
Russia, may be acting out of
some desperation.
It sounds like they need each
other here.
>> Exactly.
The fact that Russia which has
extensive production
capabilities for artillery
weapons as well as ammunition,
the fact they're scrounging for
ammunition shows how desperate
they are.
It shows that Russia is very
desperate.
The artillery of those that
ammunition caliber is very old
and as we've seen with some
operations in Ukraine, it's
unreliable.
But also as Jean pointed out is
North Korea is hurting very much
economically.
Not only from its covid
isolation and international
sanctions, but its decades of
failed socialist economic
policies.
So these are two beggars who are
very much in need of each other.