North Korea likely received more than 1 million barrels of oil from Russia over an eight-month period this year in violation of U.N. sanctions, according to an analysis of satellite images released Friday by the British Open Source Center and the BBC.
North Korean tankers have made more than 40 visits to the Russian Far East port of Vostochny since March, said the report published on the Open Source Center research group's website.
“Dozens of high-resolution satellite images, AIS (automatic identification system) data and images released by maritime patrol missions tasked with monitoring North Korea's activities aimed at violating UN sanctions “UN show North Korean tankers loading multiple times at an oil terminal at the Russian port of Vostochny,” the report said, adding that the Russian Foreign Ministry did not respond to a request for comment.
North Korea continued to illicitly import refined petroleum products in violation of United Nations Security Council resolutions, according to the UNSC.
Earlier this year, the United States and South Korea established a new working group aimed at preventing North Korea from obtaining illicit oil, amid stalemate in the Council UN Security Council casts doubts on the future of international sanctions.
Under United Nations Security Council restrictions on North Korea's nuclear weapons and missile development, Pyongyang can only import 500,000 barrels of refined products per year.
Pyongyang and Moscow have intensified diplomatic and economic ties in recent years, culminating in Russian President Vladimir Putin's visit to North Korea in June, during which the two countries' leaders concluded a mutual defense pact.
Military cooperation between the two countries has sparked international concern, with Washington, kyiv and Seoul condemning the North for sending military equipment and more than 10,000 troops to Russia to support its war against Ukraine.
Russia's envoy to the United Nations, Vassily Nebenzia, said last month that military interaction between Russia and North Korea did not violate international law, but North Korea did not recognize the deployment of troops in Russia.
