Russia wants to buy millions of rockets and artillery shells from North Korea to use in its war against Ukraine, a sign that Western sanctions on its military and economy are starting to bite, U.S. officials said Tuesday.
The government’s decision to buy the munitions indicates that Russia “continues to suffer from severe supply shortages in Ukraine due in part to export controls and sanctions,” State Department deputy spokesman Vedant Patel told reporters.
“Our sense is that it could include literally millions of rounds,” said John Kirby, spokesman for the National Security Council. He said there are no indications that purchases from North Korea have been completed.
U.S. officials portrayed the effort to purchase the munitions as a sign that Russia is now struggling so mightily to supply its military campaign that it must turn to fellow pariah states such as North Korea to do so. CIA Director William Burns said in July that Russia had turned to Iran to try to buy armed drones.
Buying weaponry from North Korea would violate a United Nations arms embargo that Russia voted for in its role as a permanent member of the U.N. Security Council. At the same time, North Korea and Russia have long maintained an alliance, and the U.S. under former President Donald Trump even sought Russia’s help as it pressed North Korea to engage in denuclearization talks.
The New York Times reported Monday that newly declassified U.S. intelligence showed Russia was buying rockets and artillery shells. U.S. officials portrayed the purchases as a sign that Russia is running low on supplies.
“It is indicative of the situation that Russia finds itself in, in terms of its logistics and sustainment capabilities as it relates to Ukraine,” Pentagon spokesman Pat Ryder told reporters Tuesday.
