Despite North Korea shunning ‘rumours’ about a potential arms deal between the authoritarian state and Russia, a recent report by the US Intelligence suggests differently. The Biden administration, on Wednesday, publicly flagged its suspicion, calling both nations pariah states.
Russia and North Korea are noted to be “actively advancing” their talks over the contested arms deal-that aims to provide significant ammunition for variegated weapon systems, including artillery, to the former. The deal highlights the Kremlin’s desperation to embolden its weakening invasion of Ukraine.
ANI reported the resurfacing of the arms deal, despite North Korea’s public refusal, as indicated in a recent US Intelligence report. The Biden administration, on Wednesday, publicly flagged its suspicion, calling both nations pariah states. Following the Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu’s visit to North Korea, last month, another official delegation from Russia visited Pyongyang to further the discussed deal.
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According to National Security Council strategic communication’s coordinator John Kirby, Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean Premier Kim Jong Un even exchanged letters “pledging to increase their bilateral cooperation.”
To oust the recent intelligence report in public was a deliberate move on behalf of the Biden administration, who plan to continue to publicise Russia’s every move in connection with its efforts to evade Western Sanctions and Source Ammunition for its war, and additionally to notify North Korea of it being under the US’s continued surveillance. The report also serves as a detailed evidence of Russia’s desperate outreach to North Korea to aid its invasion of Ukraine.
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“We remain concerned that the DPRK continues to consider providing military support to Russia’s military forces in Ukraine and we have new information which we are able to share today that arms negotiations between Russia and the DPRK are actively advancing,” Kirby said. “Following these negotiations, high level discussion may continue in coming months.”
“Under these potential deals Russia would receive significant quantities and multiple types of munitions from the DPRK, which the Russian military plans to use in Ukraine. These potential deals could also include the provision of raw materials that would assist Russia’s defense industrial base,” Kirby added, asserting that the US intends to take direct action to sanction any authority involved in a potential deal and, urging Pyongyang to cease the negotiations.
A sanctions evasion network aimed at enabling arms deals between Russia and North Korea was scrutinised and thereby sanctioned by the US Treasury, earlier this month. Kirby added that Russia’s desperate attempts to source weapons from countries like Iran and North Korea was a clear indication of their distress. “There is no other way to look at that than desperation and weakness, quite frankly,” Kirby said.
US ambassador to the United Nations, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, also accused Russia and North Korea of negotiating an arms deal during a Security Council Stakeout on Wednesday. Greenfield labelled it “shameful” and a violation of Security Council resolutions approved by Russia.
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Pyongyang delivered infantry rockets and missiles to Russian mercenary group Wagner for their troops in Ukraine, towards the end of 2022. Iran has also supplied Russia with weapons for use in Ukraine, as per Western officials. However, both, Iran and North Korea have denied these claims.
