Russia buying rockets, artillery shells from N Korea: US intel
Washington, September 6
The Russian Ministry of Defence is in the process of purchasing millions of rockets and artillery shells from North Korea for its ongoing fight in Ukraine, according to a newly downgraded US intelligence finding.
Biden admn ‘concerned’
- The provocative move by North Korea comes as the Biden administration has become increasingly concerned about stepped-up activity by North Korea in pursuit of nuclear weapons
- North Korea test-fired over 30 ballistic missiles this year, including its first flights of intercontinental ballistic missiles since 2017, as leader Kim Jong Un pushes to advance his nuclear arsenal despite US-led pressure
- Russian President Vladimir Putin and Kim have recently exchanged letters in which they both called for “comprehensive” and “strategic and tactical” cooperation between the countries
Putin attends joint military exercise with China, others
- Putin attended war games in his country’s far east involving troops from China and other nations, in a show of military muscle amid tensions with the West over Moscow’s action in Ukraine
- The Russian Defence Ministry said the Vostok 2022 (East 2022) exercise, that runs until Wednesday at seven firing ranges in Russia’s far east and the Sea of Japan, involves over 50,000 troops and over 5,000 weapons units, including 140 aircraft and 60 warships.
- It engages troops from several ex-Soviet nations, China, India, Laos, Mongolia, Nicaragua and Syria
- Beijing sent over 2,000 troops along with over 300 military vehicles, 21 combat aircraft and three warships to take part in the drills. AP
A US official said the fact Russia was turning to the isolated state of North Korea demonstrates that “the Russian military continues to suffer from severe supply shortages in Ukraine.”
US intel officials believe that the Russians could look to purchase additional North Korean military equipment in future.
The US official did not detail how much weaponry Russia intends to purchase from North Korea.
The finding comes after the Biden administration recently confirmed that the Russian military in August took delivery of Iranian-manufactured drones for use on the battlefield in Ukraine.
The White House said last week that Russia had faced technical problems with Iranian-made drones acquired from Tehran in August for use in its war with Ukraine. — AP
