Zelensky also says he remains confident of continued US and European financial aid despite 'political storms' in Washington and elsewhere.

News of Cubans ending up in the Russian military hit headlines this month when the Havana government said it had arrested 17 people connected with a human-trafficking ring that lured Cubans to fight for Moscow.

Washington has sent the Kyiv government US$113 billion in security, economic and humanitarian aid since Russia invaded in February 2022.

Kyiv brushed off the wobbles on both sides of the Atlantic which excluded aid to Ukraine from an emergency bill to prevent a government shutdown, represented a deeper change in policy.

Biden assured Zelensky during a visit to Washington that strong US support for his war to repel Russian invaders would be maintained despite opposition from some Republican lawmakers.

Helicopter pilots must fly at low altitudes to avoid becoming targets for enemy anti-aircraft defences.

To date, Britain and its allies have avoided a formal military presence in Ukraine to reduce the risk of a direct conflict with Russia.

Russian forces do not control any of the regions in full.

The meeting underscored the Kremlin's attempt to show that the state had now gained control over the mercenary group after a failed June mutiny by Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin.

Trudeau also says Ottawa has already reached out to Kyiv and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky through diplomatic channels to apologise.

The episode played into the narrative promoted by Russian President Vladimir Putin that he sent his army into Ukraine last year to 'demilitarise and denazify' the country.

The two-hour attack was the latest strike on Ukrainian grain and port facilities since July.