US officials claim that North Korea has sent Russia enormous quantities of military equipment to use in Ukraine.
According to National Security Council Spokesperson John Kirby, Pyongyang has delivered up to 1,000 containers of “equipment and munitions” in “recent weeks.”
Additionally, officials unveiled images of 300 containers that they claimed were being built for transit in Najin, North Korea.
The leader of North Korea, Kim Jong Un, traveled to Russia last month to discuss possible military cooperation.
The continuous invasion of Ukraine by Moscow’s military is said to be consuming enormous quantities of artillery and missiles, and Moscow has been attempting to resupply its supplies from some of its isolated friends.
Given its relative paucity of resources, some observers speculate that Mr. Kim’s leadership may be holding vast arsenals of weapons but be reluctant to hand them over in large quantities.
The supplies, which officials claim occurred between September 7 and October 1, were monitored by US intelligence agencies.
At a news conference on Friday, Mr. Kirby said that the equipment was shipped by train and ship to a supply depot in southwest Russia, close to Tikhoretsk, which is roughly 180 miles (290 kilometers) from the Ukrainian border.
Although Mr. Kirby did not identify the type of weapons he claimed were given by Mr. Kim’s government, the US has previously charged Moscow with acquiring rockets and artillery shells from Pyongyang.
Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022, US officials have repeatedly expressed concern that North Korea may have given Russia ammunition.
“We condemn [North Korea] for providing Russia with this military equipment, which will be used to attack Ukrainian cities, kill Ukrainian civilians and further Russia’s illegitimate war,” Kirby told reporters.
The UN Security Council resolutions are violated by North Korea’s supplies, he claimed, adding that “we will continue to aggressively raise these arms deals at the UN alongside with our allies and partners.”
When the Hwasong intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) was on display, Mr. Kim met with Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu during a military delegation’s visit to the nation in July.
Additionally, Mr. Kim and Vladimir Putin had a meeting in September at the Vostochny space center in the far east of Russia.
According to observers, North Korean weapons would only temporarily strengthen Russia’s military endeavors. They draw attention to the fact that Moscow is using older, less dependable artillery round stocks due to its severely reduced ammunition supply.
Gen. celebrate Milley recently indicated he was “sceptical” that any such deliveries would play a crucial role in the battle while addressing at an event to celebrate his retirement as chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff.
However, it does so in the midst of a continuing budget dispute in the House of Representatives, which has led the US to postpone plans to provide an additional $6 billion in military aid to Kiev.
This Thursday, President Biden stated that the interim agreement reached by House Democrats and Republicans may require him to find new means of funding Ukraine’s military campaign.
Source: BBC
