US says North Korea shipping weapons to Russia via Middle East
The White House said it will consult with allies on next steps, including at the United Nations.
North Korea has begun covertly shipping artillery shells for Russia to use in Ukraine, the White House announced on Wednesday, in what US officials described as a sign of Moscow’s increasing reliance on outside support for its war effort.
White House National Security Council coordinator John Kirby said that Pyongyang is attempting to conceal the intent of the shipments “by funneling them through other countries in the Middle East and North Africa.”
“We’re not talking dozens here. It’s a significant number of artillery shells,” Kirby told reporters in Washington today, noting that American officials do not assess that the supplies will shift the direction of the war.
American officials continue to monitor the situation to determine if and when the shipments are received, Kirby added, but he declined to specify the transportation method and the identities of the stopover countries, which he implied were known to US intelligence. US officials have not publicized evidence for the claim.
