Putin supplies oil to North Korea in exchange for its soldiers, these figures reveal the extent of Russian aid

NORTH KOREA – Rendering a service is not done without compensation. As North Korean troops have been sent to Russia's Kursk region, on the border with Ukraine, data collected by the Open Source Centre, a British non-profit research center, shows that more than 1 million barrels of oil were supplied by Russia to North Korea. Resources that the country, under international sanctions, sorely needs.

Satellite images analyzed by the research group and released to the BBC list a dozen different North Korean tankers that arrived, tracers turned off to avoid detection, at an oil terminal in the Russian Far East. Other images show North Korean ships arriving empty in Vostochny, Russia, and leaving almost full. In total, 43 such trips were recorded, and the last transfer took place on November 5, according to the Open Source Center's in-depth investigation.

“While Kim Jong Un provides Vladimir Putin with a lifeline to continue his war, Russia quietly provides North Korea with its own lifeline”underlines Joe Byrne, member of the research group.

British Foreign Secretary David Lammy also confirmed to the BBC that these barrels were a way for Russia to compensate North Korea for its help on the front: “To continue fighting in Ukraine, Russia has become increasingly dependent on North Korea [et obtient] troops and weapons in exchange for oil »he assured. This situation has “a direct impact on security on the Korean Peninsula, Europe and the Indo-Pacific region”added the government member.

Russian oil, a boon for Pyongyang

These transfers violate United Nations sanctions, which prohibit countries from selling oil to North Korea except in small quantities. The objective? Stifle its economy and prevent it from continuing to develop nuclear weapons. North Korea is the only country in the world not allowed to buy oil on the open market. The number of barrels of refined oil it can receive is capped by the United Nations at 500,000 per year, a level well below its estimated needs of 9 million barrels per year.

The flow established with Russia “gives North Korea a level of stability it has not experienced since the introduction of these sanctions”underlines Joe Byrne. Indeed, if in daily life North Koreans depend on coal to survive, the army needs oil. Diesel and gasoline are used to transport missile launchers and troops around the country, to operate munitions factories and to power the cars of Pyongyang's elite, the BBC explains.

To meet its needs, North Korea buys oil on the black market. A costly and risky activity since it requires transferring oil between ships at sea, says Go Myong-hyun, researcher at the South Korean Institute for National Security Strategy. “Now Kim Jong Un gets oil directly, probably of better quality, and there is a good chance that he will get it for free, in return for the supply of ammunition. What's better than that? »

And with the signing of the defense pact between the two countries, Russia's aid to North Korea could go beyond oil. Last month, South Korean Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun said there was a “high probability” that North Korea is asking Russia for help in improving its ballistic missiles.

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