Russia is in the process of buying millions of rockets and artillery shells from North Korea for its ongoing fight in Ukraine, according to a recently downgraded US intelligence finding.
Key points:
- A US official said Russia was suffering from supply shortages to Ukraine due to sanctions and export controls
- It comes after the United States recently confirmed that Russia had received delivery of Iranian-made drones
- North Korea has hinted at an interest in sending construction workers to Russian-occupied territories in Ukraine
A U.S. official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the intelligence determination, said Monday that Russia’s targeting of North Korea shows that: “The Russian military continues to suffer a serious supply shortages in Ukraine, due in part to export controls and sanctions.”
US intelligence officials believe the Russians could buy more military equipment from North Korea in the future.
The intelligence finding was first reported by The New York Times.
The finding comes after the Biden administration recently confirmed that the Russian military in August received delivery of Iranian-made drones for use on the battlefield in Ukraine.
The White House said last week that Russia had faced technical problems with Iranian-made drones purchased from Tehran in August.
Russia collected Mohajer-6 and Shahed series unmanned aerial vehicles over several days last month as part of what the Biden administration says is likely part of a Russian plan to acquire hundreds of Iranian UAVs to use- them in Ukraine.
US officials believe that Russia could look to buy additional military equipment from North Korea in the future. (AP: Press Service of the Ministry of Defense of Russia)
North Korea has sought to strain relations with Russia as much of Europe and the West drifted apart, blaming the United States for the Ukraine crisis and denouncing the West’s “hegemonic policy” as justification for military action by Russia in Ukraine to protect itself.
The North Koreans have hinted at an interest in sending construction workers to help rebuild Russian-occupied territories in the east of the country.
North Korea’s ambassador to Moscow recently met with envoys from two Russian-backed separatist territories in Ukraine’s Donbas region.
He expressed optimism about cooperation in the “field of labor migration,” citing his country’s easing of pandemic border controls.
In July, North Korea became the only nation other than Russia and Syria to recognize the independence of the Donetsk and Luhansk territories, further aligning itself with Russia.
AP