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Russia is buying millions of shells and rockets from North Korea, confirming that global sanctions imposed on Moscow following its invasion of Ukraine are hampering its usual arms supply lines, and it must turn to alternative markets, The New York Times reported Tuesday.
The newspaper cites as its source documents recently declassified by U.S. intelligence that indicates Moscow has lately been forced to turn to pariah states for military supplies.
This information comes days after Russia received initial shipments of Iranian-made drones, some of which U.S. officials said had mechanical problems.
According to The New York Times, U.S. government officials believe that Russia’s decision to turn to Iran, and now North Korea, is a sign that sanctions and export controls imposed by Washington and Europe are affecting Moscow’s ability to obtain supplies for its military.
The newspaper notes that Washington has provided few details from declassified intelligence documents on the exact weaponry, timing, or size of the shipment, and there is still no way to independently verify the sale.
However, a U.S. official said that, beyond short-range rockets and artillery shells, Russia is expected to seek to purchase additional equipment from North Korea in the future.
Before the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the White House began declassifying intelligence reports on Moscow’s military plans and disclosed that material, first to allies privately and then to the public, the newspaper recalled.
After halting these disclosures, the U.S. government once again began declassifying information to highlight infighting in the Russian military and recent intelligence reports about Iranian drone purchases and the Russian military’s problems recruiting soldiers.
Broad international economic sanctions, at least so far, have not crippled Russia, thanks to the high price achieved for the energy it can still place on the markets.
But U.S. officials said, according to the New York daily, that as far as Russia’s ability to rebuild its military was concerned, European and U.S. economic actions had been effective.
U.S. and European sanctions have blocked Russia’s ability to buy weaponry or electronics with which to make those weapons.
Moscow had hoped that China would be willing to buck those export controls and continue supplying the Russian military.
But in recent days, U.S. officials noted that while China was willing to buy Russian oil at a discount, Beijing, at least so far, has respected export controls aimed at Moscow’s armed forces and has not sought to sell military equipment or components, the New York newspaper noted.
