North Korea has despatched ‘1,000 containers of weapons’ to Russia for battle in Ukraine, White House says

North Korea has despatched giant quantities of weapons to Russia to assist Moscow combat its battle in Ukraine, the White House has mentioned.

Pyongyang has delivered greater than 1,000 containers of “equipment and munitions” in current weeks, National Security Council Spokesperson John Kirby mentioned on Friday.

Washington launched photos that it mentioned confirmed containers loaded with arms on a Russian-flagged ship earlier than being moved by prepare to southwestern Russia.

The containers had been shipped between 7 September and 1 October, between Najin, North Korea, and Dunay, Russia, in accordance with the White House.

Speculation Pyongyang would begin sending arms to Russia has been rife since North Korean chief, Kim Jong Un, visited Russia to satisfy President Vladimir Putin and see key navy websites.

In return, North Korea desires subtle Russian weapons applied sciences to make use of in its nuclear weapons improvement programme, Mr Kirby mentioned.

Satellite pictures displaying a pointy improve in rail site visitors alongside the North Korea-Russia border had been printed final week by the Centre for Strategic and International Studies.

Images dated 5 October, the Washington thinktank mentioned, confirmed “a dramatic and unprecedented level of freight railcar traffic” on the Tumangang Rail Facility, on the nation’s border with Russia.

More than 70 railcars had been recognized, the centre mentioned, whereas solely round 20 had been seen over the earlier 5 years.

The US has accused North Korea of beforehand offering ammunition, artillery shells and rockets to Russia.

Last month, after assembly Mr Putin, the North Korean chief demanded an exponential improve in his nation’s manufacturing of nuclear weapons.

It was time, he mentioned, for Pyongyang to play a bigger position in a coalition of countries confronting the US in a “new Cold War”, North Korean state media reported.

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The Korean Central News Agency mentioned Mr Kim made the feedback throughout a two-day session of the nation’s parliament, which modified the structure to incorporate his coverage of increasing the nation’s nuclear weapons programme.

Mr Kim deepened “comradely fellowship and friendly ties” with Mr Putin, throughout his six-day journey to Russia, North Korean state media mentioned.

The two nations mentioned they mentioned boosting their defence ties however didn’t disclose any particular steps.