On Wednesday, the White House announced that North Korea is secretly sending artillery shells to help Russia in its war with Ukraine, and to complete this process, some countries in the Middle East and North Africa are using to cover up the movement of weapons. He explained that it was not yet clear whether those shipments had been received.
Which countries in the Middle East and North Africa are helping North Korea move artillery to Russia?
The Washington Post report notes that while the White House did not specify which countries acted as turning points, there are several potential candidates given Russia’s influence in the region.
Russia maintains close ties with Syria, where it was Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s main military sponsor in the 11-year war.
Russia controls, under a bilateral agreement, the naval base at Tartus on the Mediterranean coast, as well as the Khmeimim airbase. Moscow has upgraded both facilities in recent years, according to the Washington Post.
Assad also maintains ties with North Korea, which is accused of supplying the Syrian army with ballistic missiles and chemical weapons components in defiance of UN sanctions. In 2019, the two countries signed an economic cooperation agreement.
It is reported that in North Africa, mercenaries of the Russian Vanger group are located at bases and in ports controlled by the Libyan National Army, led by Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar. Researchers say the group has a presence in more than a dozen countries on the continent.
North Korea has a network of companies as a military front in Africa, and experts say that also makes choosing these countries profitable.
“The North Koreans have created ways they can maneuver,” said Ken Goose, a North Korean affairs expert at the CNA think tank, according to a Washington Post report.
Earlier this fall, North Korea flatly denied allegations that it could supply arms to Russia. Execution of deals is a sign that the country is either indebted to Moscow or is gaining something by providing this service to Russia now, experts say.
As part of this study, researcher and expert Bruce W. Bennett explained to The Washington Post that “artillery is very heavy” and “it would take weeks to send it by sea.”
On the technical front, Bennett said: “North Korea will likely send several missiles through China, where trains could take cargo through Central Asia to Iran, making it almost impossible for the United States and its allies to intercept weapons before they reach their destination.” .
National Security Council strategic communications coordinator John Kirby told reporters the shipments included “thousands” of missiles, calling the number “important” but not enough to change the course of the war.
The accusations against North Korea are the first evidence that Russia is also dependent on Iran, especially in the field of drones.
“Moscow’s transformation into both rogue states that have been under sanctions for years aimed at curbing the development of their nuclear weapons is a sign of Russian shortages and needs,” Kirby said.
He explained that the “effectiveness of international sanctions” had hampered Russia’s defense industrial base to the point that Russian President Vladimir Putin had to turn to North Korea for help.
Kirby noted that “in September we had signs that Russia was ready to buy, but now there are signs that Russia has bought and the weapons are on their way to it.”
But there are some logistical constraints preventing Russia from getting these weapons, especially if Moscow wants to get them quickly.
Notably, North Korea fired several ballistic missiles on Thursday, including a possible failed launch of an ICBM that sent warnings to residents in parts of central and northern Japan to seek shelter in closed areas, Reuters reported.
Officials in South Korea and Japan said the missile could be an ICBM, North Korea’s longest-ranged weapon, designed to deliver a nuclear warhead to the other side of the Earth.
South Korean news agency Yonhap reported that South Korean officials believe the missile launch failed, without giving details. The South Korean Ministry of Defense declined to comment on a possible launch failure.
The launch comes a day after North Korea fired at least 23 missiles, the most in a single day, including one that first landed off the coast of South Korea.
Japan’s emergency alert system said authorities on Thursday urged residents of the central prefectures of Miyagi, Yamagata and Niigata to take shelter indoors, Reuters reported.
For its part, Russia said on Wednesday that it is committed to preventing nuclear war and that preventing a clash between the world’s nuclear powers is its top priority.