The United States has concerns that North Korea is considering providing lethal aid to Russia, with American intel showing the Kremlin is looking to increase military cooperation between the two nations to help President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, according to John Kirby, the US National Security Council’s strategic communications coordinator.
“Our information indicates that Russia is seeking to increase military cooperation with [North Korea] such as through DPRK’s sale of artillery munitions, again, to Russia,” Kirby said, referring to to North Korea by its official name.
The comments come after Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu recently visited North Korea as part of the 70th anniversary of the Korean War armistice.
“This is yet another example of how desperate Mr. Putin is becoming, because his war machine is being affected by the sanctions and the export controls,” Kirby added, saying that Russian officials are also reaching out to Iran and China.
During Shoigu’s visit last week, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un gave him a tour of a defense exposition in Pyongyang, with images from North Korean media showing them walking past an array of weaponry, from North Korea’s nuclear-capable ballistic missiles to its newest drones.
At a state reception for Shoigu and the Russian delegation, in a reference to the war in Ukraine, North Korean Defense Minister Kang Sun Nam expressed Pyongyang’s full support “for the just struggle of the Russian army and people to defend the sovereignty and security of the country,” according to a report from the state-run Korean Central News Agency.
