The Washington Post (WP) reported on the 16th (local time) that circumstances had been detected in which Russia had been importing military supplies from North Korea using two civilian ships since mid-August, a month before the North Korea-Russia summit.
WP cited data analyzed by satellite images by British think tank Royal Joint Military Institute (RUSI), showing that Russian-flagged ships Angara and Maria visited Rajin Port in northeastern North Korea and Dunai in the Russian Far East at least five times from mid-August to the 14th. It was reported that it was discovered that there was a round-trip flight.
Russian-flagged ships transported hundreds of containers from North Korea to Russia. WP said that the most recent delivery of containers from North Korea to Russia was on the 14th, when the Maria was seen unloading cargo at Dunai.
WP analyzed that although the contents of the container were not confirmed, it strongly indicates that it was transporting military equipment such as ammunition.
WP said that around the time cargo shipments began, the storage pits at the ammunition depot in Tikhoretsk, in southwestern Russia, about 290 km from the Ukrainian border, expanded rapidly, and that the pits were filled with boxes of ammunition as railcars arrived in recent weeks. He explained that he lost.
The color and size of the containers placed next to the ammunition storage pit matched those transported from Rajin, North Korea, to Dunai, Russia.
The Angara and Maria avoided tracking by turning off their Automatic Identification System (AIS), especially when traveling between Rajin and Dunai. WP introduced, “The two ships had no record of sailing the route between North Korea and Russia until August, when high-level talks between North Korea and Russia began, which opened the way for North Korea’s Workers’ Party General Secretary Kim Jong-un and Russian President Vladirir Putin to meet.”
Previously, John Kirby, the White House National Security Council (NSC) strategic communications coordinator, said in a briefing on the 13th that North Korea used the Russian-flagged ship Angara between September 7 and the 1st to transport more than 1,000 containers of military equipment and ammunition to Russia. Satellite images, etc. were released, saying that they had been provided to .
However, WP’s report conveyed that the arms transport between North Korea and Russia began before the White House announcement, continued until the day after the White House announcement, and was carried out via multiple ships.
In particular, in mid-August, when weapons shipments began, it was approximately 1 month before Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu’s visit to North Korea (July 25-27) and the summit meeting between North Korean Workers’ Party General Secretary Kim Jong-un and Russian President Vladimir Putin (September 13). It was months ago.
WP said that satellite images provided by RUSI suggest that this North Korea-Russia arms shipment is more regular, extensive, and ongoing than the White House revealed.
(Washington = News 1)
Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.