The Russian Defense Ministry is in the process of buying millions of artillery shells and rockets from North Korea to support its invasion of Ukraine, according to a New York Times report citing recently declassified US intelligence documents.
According to a US official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, the fact that Russia is turning to North Korea demonstrates that “the Russian military continues to suffer from severe supply shortages in Ukraine, in part due to export controls and sanctions ».
US intelligence officials believe the Russians could seek additional North Korean military equipment in the future.
The United States has provided few details from declassified information about the exact armament, timing or size of the shipment, and there is still no way to independently verify the sale.
A US official said that, in addition to short-range missiles and artillery shells, Russia is expected to try to buy additional North Korean equipment in the future.
“The Kremlin should be concerned that it is obligated to buy anything from North Korea,” said Mason Clark, who heads the Russia monitoring group at the Institute for the Study of War.
As the article points out, broad economic sanctions, at least so far, have not crippled Russia.
Energy prices, driven by the invasion, have filled its coffers and allowed Moscow to cushion the effects of cutting off its banks from international financing and curbing exports and imports.
Sanctions against individual Russian oligarchs have also failed to undermine Vladimir Putin’s power.
But US officials stressed that when it came to Russia’s ability to build up its military, the economic actions of Europe and the United States were effective.
U.S. and European sanctions have blocked Russia’s ability to buy weapons or procure electronics to build those weapons.
Moscow had hoped that China would be willing to bypass these export controls and continue supplying the Russian military.
But in recent days, US officials have said that while China has been willing to buy Russian oil at a discount, Beijing has – at least so far – respected export controls aimed at Moscow’s military and has not sought to sell either military equipment or accessories.
Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo has repeatedly warned China that if Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp., China’s largest computer chip maker, or other companies violate sanctions against Russia, the United States will effectively shut down those businesses, disrupting their access to the American technology they need make semiconductors.
So, with most countries treading carefully in the face of American pressure, Russia has focused its deals on Iran and North Korea.
