Russia seeks new arms deal with North Korea to boslter Ukraine war, US says

By Michael Hernandez

WASHINGTON (AA) - Russia is seeking to broker a deal with North Korea to purchase additional weapons in exchange for food to aid its ongoing offensive against Ukraine, the US said Thursday.

National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said the over year-long war has "forced" Russia to turn "to rogue regimes to try to obtain weapons and equipment to support its military operations" in Ukraine.

"That's in part because of the sweeping sanctions and export controls that we've imposed," he told reporters on a virtual briefing. "We remain concerned that North Korea will provide further support to Russia's military operations against Ukraine. And we have new information that Russia is actively seeking to acquire additional munitions from North Korea."

If confirmed, the effort to procure weapons from Pyongyang would mark the second such time Russia or its proxies have sought munitions from the hermit kingdom. North Korea previously supplied Russia's Wagner Group, a private military contract closely aligned with the Kremlin, with infantry rockets and missiles in late 2022, according to US intelligence.

The "proposed deal" would see Russia receive over two dozen kinds of weapons and munitions from North Korea, and Moscow is planning to send a delegation to North Korea that will offer the leadership there food in exchange for the weapons, according to the White House.