North Korea Shipping Military Equipment to Russia for Ukraine War, US Says

North Korea has started shipping military equipment to Russia for its war effort in Ukraine and the United States believes Moscow may be supplying Pyongyang with military assistance in return, a senior White House official said Friday.

Between Sept. 7 and Oct. 1, Pyongyang shipped more than 1,000 containers of military equipment from Najin, North Korea to Dunay, Russia, according to National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby. He did not spell out how the United States obtained the information.

The equipment was moved by rail to a Russian ammunition facility in the town of Tikhoretsk in southwestern Russia, roughly 180 miles from the Russian-Ukrainian border.

"We condemn the DPRK for providing Russia with this military equipment," Kirby said, referring to North Korea.

It's unclear exactly what equipment Russia received from North Korea, or if the material has already been deployed on the battlefield in Ukraine.

But there have already been signs Russia may be supplying military aid to North Korea in exchange for Pyongyang's support.

The United States has observed Russian ships unloading material in North Korea that "may constitute" an arms exchange, Kirby said. The trade "undermines regional stability and the global nonproliferation regime," he added.

The U.S. believes North Korea is seeking surface-to-air missiles, ballistic missile production equipment and other material from Russia, Kirby said.

The United States has sanctions in place against individuals and entities involved in weapons deals between North Korea and Russia. The Biden administration will enforce existing sanctions and could level new ones, Kirby said.

The administration also plans to raise concerns about the arms deals to the United Nations, Kirby said, and will continue releasing information on known shipments between the two countries to pressure Moscow and Pyongyang.

Newsweek requested comment from the Permanent Mission of North Korea to the United Nations. Newsweek also contacted the Russian government for comment.

Pyongyang's military aid shipments to Russia come one month after North Korean leader Kim Jong Un traveled to Russia to meet with President Vladimir Putin about aiding Moscow's war in Ukraine.

The visit sparked speculation at the time that North Korea and Russia were working on a new arms deal as part of a broader push to bolster ties and push back against Western sanctions.

The U.S. and Western allies have leveled strict sanctions and export controls on Russia since it invaded Ukraine in February, 2022 in a bid to starve Moscow of the resources it needs to carry out the war.

Moscow has turned to North Korea and other allies for military equipment in a widespread effort to evade the Western sanctions regime.