Russia plans to buy ammunition from North Korea for use in Ukraine, US says

Russia is in the process of buying millions of artillery shells and rockets from North Korea to use in its invasion of Ukraine, according to material declassified by US intelligence services.

Washington claims that Moscow's turning to Pyongyang for supplies shows how international sanctions are affecting Moscow's military capabilities.

The US statements come just a week after, according to the Pentagon, Russia began receiving Iranian drones for military use, of the Mojaher-6 and Shahed types.

Both can be used in electronic combat and to carry out precision attacks.

Also since last week, Ukraine has launched a strong counteroffensive in its south to recover territory seized by Russia.

So far there is no indication that the transaction has been completed or that this material has begun to be used, the Communications Coordinator of the National Security Council, John Kirby, said in a telephone press conference on Tuesday.

But both he and State Department spokesman Vedant Patel have attributed the purchase operation to "how desperate Russia is getting."

"These purchases indicate that the Russian military continues to suffer from serious supply shortages, due in part to export controls and sanctions, and other examples and efforts applied to make Russia face the consequences of its actions," Patel said.

Western sanctions have not caused, at least for now, significant damage to the Russian economy.

The rise in energy prices – gas has risen 400% in Europe – has offset the effect of these measures.

But, according to the United States, they have closed Moscow's access to arms and technology markets.

Despite what Washington and other sympathetic governments feared in the first weeks of the war, China, Russia's great geopolitical partner, has not provided military aid to the neighboring country's army.

The Russian purchase of weapons from North Korea, first published by

represent a violation of UN sanctions against Pyongyang, according to the State Department.

These measures prohibit United Nations member states from acquiring military material from the Kim Jong Un regime.

“All violations of UN sanctions are serious, but in this case it is particularly serious that whoever is breaking them is a permanent member of the Security Council,” said Patel.

North Korea has a long history of selling arms to other governments with problems obtaining legal supplies.

Given the restrictions it suffers due to international sanctions, this type of transaction represents one of its main sources of foreign currency.

Some currencies that, judging by Kim's statements in the last two years, would now be more welcome than ever.

The Supreme Leader himself has recognized on several occasions at this stage the battered state of the North Korean economy, due to a combination of international measures, a series of natural disasters and, above all, the absolute closure of borders since the outbreak of the pandemic. of covid that has paralyzed its already limited foreign trade.

Russia and North Korea have grown closer since talks between Kim and former US President Donald Trump broke down, and Kim has expressed support for Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which Moscow describes as a "special operation."

Russian President Vladimir Putin has also tried to get Pyongyang on his side since the start of the assault.

Last month, the two leaders exchanged letters on the occasion of the 77th anniversary of the end of Japan's occupation of Korea.

According to North Korean media, Putin assured Kim that closer "comprehensive and constructive" relations were in the interests of the two countries.

For his part, Kim highlighted the "strategic and tactical cooperation, support and solidarity" between the two nations, which, he argued, have reached an unprecedented level in these decades, especially in their common efforts against hostile forces.

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