Washington: The Russian Ministry of Defence is in the process of purchasing millions of rockets and artillery shells from North Korea for its ongoing fight in Ukraine,according to a newly downgraded US intelligence finding.
Brigadier General Pat Ryder,the Pentagon press secretary,said Tuesday that “the information that we have is that Russia has specifically asked for ammunition.” He said the US has seen indications Russia approached North Korea,but said he had no other details,including whether money has changed hands or any shipments are in progress.
“It does demonstrate and is indicative of the situation that Russia finds itself in,in terms of its logistics and sustainment capabilities as it relates to Ukraine,” said Ryder,in the administration’s first public comments on the intelligence assessment. “We assess that things are not going well on that front for Russia.”
National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said there were no indications that the arms purchase had actually occurred yet or that any North Korean munitions had made it onto the Ukrainian battlefield. Still,he said the talks alone were “just another indication of how desperate Putin’s becoming”.
“He was buying drones from Iran,now he’s going to buy artillery rounds from North Korea. It’s an indication of how much his defence industrial establishment is suffering as a result of this war and the degree of desperation that he’s reaching out to countries like Iran and North Korea for assistance,” he told reporters Tuesday.
US intelligence officials believe the Russians could look to purchase additional North Korean military equipment in the future. The intelligence finding was first reported by The New York Times.
Kirby said US intelligence suggests that Russia is in the market for on “the scale of millions of rounds” of ammunition from North Korea,but offered no additional details.
Asked why the information was declassified,Ryder it’s relevant to illustrate the condition of Russia’s ongoing military campaign in Ukraine. And,he said,it shows “they’re trying to reach out to international actors like Iran and North Korea that don’t have the best record when it comes to international stability”.
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