The United States says it has information indicating that North Korea has delivered more than 1,000 containers of military equipment and munitions in recent weeks to Russia for use in Ukraine.
White House national-security spokesman John Kirby told reporters on October 13 that the United States believes North Korea provided the arms in hopes of obtaining sophisticated Russian weapons technologies in return in order to boost Pyongyang’s nuclear program.
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The White House released a graphic that it said illustrated how the transfer took place. It shows that, between September 7 and October 1, containers were loaded onto a Russian-flagged ship before being transferred to rail cars and moved across Russia to an ammunition depot about 290 miles from the border with Ukraine.
"We condemn the [North Korea] for providing Russia with this military equipment, which will be used to attack Ukrainian cities and kill Ukrainian civilians and further Russia’s illegitimate war," Kirby said. "We will continue to monitor for any additional [North Korean] arms shipments to Russia."
The U.S. has previously accused North Korea of providing ammunition, artillery shells, and rockets to Russia in violation of UN Security Council resolutions.
Kirby said the military assistance Pyongyang seeks from Russia includes fighter aircraft, surface-to-air missiles, armored vehicles, ballistic missile production equipment, and other advanced technologies.
"The world should know about the support Russia may supply to [North Korea]," he said, adding that the United States was "monitoring closely" whether Moscow will deliver it.
The Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), a Washington think tank, last week published satellite photos that it said showed a sharp increase in rail traffic along the North Korea-Russia border.
Among the key findings of a CSIS report issued on October 6 was that satellite imagery of North Korea’s Tumangang Rail Facility at the border with Russia shows an unprecedented number of freight rail cars. It said the number of cars was 73, which is far greater than the level of traffic observed at the facility over the past five years.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un last month traveled to Russia to meet President Vladimir Putin and visit key military sites, sparking speculation that North Korea planned to restock Russia’s munitions as its invasion of Ukraine grinds on and it experiences difficulties replenishing we because of sanctions.
During Kim’s trip to Russia, the two countries said they discussed boosting their defense ties but didn’t disclose any specific steps.
After meeting Putin, Kim called for an exponential increase in the production of nuclear weapons and for his country to play a larger role in a coalition of nations confronting the United States in a “new Cold War,” North Korean state media said.