North Korea has shipped thousands of weapons to Russia: White House

WASHINGTON — North Korea has delivered thousands of weapons and other military equipment to Russia for use in Moscow’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine, US officials said Friday.

“Our information indicates that in recent weeks, North Korea has provided Russia with more than 1,000 containers of military equipment and munitions,” National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters on a call.

It’s unclear exactly how much materiel and munitions each container holds, but photos released Friday indicate the vessels are full-sized shipping containers of the type often seen on rail cars or cargo ships.

“We condemn the DPRK for providing Russia with this military equipment, which will be used to attack Ukrainian cities, kill Ukrainian civilians and further Russia’s illegitimate war,” added Kirby, using the official acronym for North Korea.

US intelligence indicated some of the equipment began its journey in the North Korean port of Najin on Sept. 7 and arrived in the Russian coastal city of Dunay five days later.

It was then transported by train across Russia before arriving at an ammunition depot near Tikhorestsk — fewer than 300 miles east of the Crimean Peninsula — on Oct. 1.

“These arms transfers directly violate a series of UN [Security Council] resolutions, which is why we will continue to aggressively raise these arms deals at the UN alongside with our allies and partners,” Kirby said.

The burgeoning alliance among US adversaries is a worry for the Biden administration, with Kirby suggesting the North Korean assistance may be part of a quid pro quo.

“We also are increasingly concerned about Russian assistance to the DPRK in return for support,” Kirby said.

“We assess that Pyongyang is seeking military assistance from Russia including fighter aircraft, surface-to-air missiles, armored vehicles, ballistic-missile production equipment or other materials and other advanced technologies.”

US intelligence assets are “monitoring closely” whether Moscow will provide Pyongyang with these materials, the NSC spokesman said.

“We have already observed that Russian ships are offloading containers in the DPRK, which may constitute the initial deliveries of material from Russia,” Kirby said.

“This expanding military partnership between the DPRK and Russia, including any technology transfers from Russia to the DPRK, undermines both regional stability and the global non-proliferation regime.

“We will keep working to identify, expose and counter Russia’s attempts to acquire military equipment from the DPRK and any state that is prepared to support its war on Ukraine.”