North Korea has sent sent 1,000 containers of weapons to boost Russia’s ‘war machine’ in Ukraine and Kim Jong-un asked Vladimir Putin for NUCLEAR bomb technology in return, White House says
North Korea has delivered more than 1,000 containers of weapons to Russia in recent weeks to fuel its war in Ukraine, the White House said.
Speculation about a possible deal between Pyongyang and Moscow has grown since last month, when North Korean leader Kim Jong Un traveled to Russia to meet President Vladimir Putin and visit key military sites.
White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said that the U.S. believes Kim is in return seeking sophisticated Russian weapons technology to boost his military and nuclear programs.
The White House released images that it said show the containers were loaded onto a Russian-flagged ship before being moved by train to southwestern Russia.
An image released by the US Government on October 13, 2023, reportedly shows the transfer of military equipment from North Korea to Russia
A satellite photo shows increased activity at the Tumangang Rail Facility in North Korea
Containers were shipped between Sept. 7 and Oct. 1 between Najin, North Korea, and Dunay, Russia.
Kirby said: ‘We condemn the DPRK (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.
‘In return for support, we assess the 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.’
The U.S. unveiled the conclusions of its intelligence gathering on Friday as North Korea lashed out at the arrival of a U.S. aircraft carrier battle group in South Korea.
Pyongyang called that a provocation and again threat6ened to use nuclear weapons to defend itself.
The U.S. has accused North Korea of previously providing ammunition, artillery shells and rockets to Russia.
Russian President Vladimir Putin, right, and North Korea’s leader Kim Jong Un shake hands during a meeting in Vladivostok, Russia on April 25, 2019
North Korea’s leader Kim Jong Un (L) shaking hands with Russia’s Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu (R) in Vladivostok on September 16, 2023
An intercontinental ballistic missile test at the Sunan international airport in Pyongyang
North Korea has previously denied providing weaponry to Moscow.
The Center for Strategic and International Studies, a Washington think tank, last week published satellite photos that showed a sharp increase in rail traffic along the North Korea-Russia border.
It said satellite images taken on Oct. 5 captured “a dramatic and unprecedented level of freight railcar traffic” at the Tumangang Rail Facility.
During Kim’s six-day trip to Russia, his longest foreign travel as a leader, the two countries said they discussed boosting their defense ties but didn’t disclose any specific steps. The trip to Russia was also Kim’s first foreign trip since the pandemic, during which North Korea imposed tight border controls for more than three years.
Russia and North Korea have drawn closer diplomatically since Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
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