ATS
North Korea was accused Friday of violating arms controls by selling missiles to Russia used in the war in Ukraine, in what the deputy U.S. ambassador to the U.N. said were “illegal arms transfers.”
“We condemn these transfers in the strongest possible terms. […] which have largely contributed to Russia’s ability to wage its war against Ukraine,” added Robert Wood before a meeting of the UN Security Council on this subject.
According to him, North Korea’s supply of arms and ammunition violates Security Council resolutions of 2006, 2009 and 2016 on the issue.
Jonah Leff of Conflict Armament Research (CAR), which tracks the use of weapons in wars, told the Security Council that he had found evidence of North Korean ballistic missiles being used in Ukraine. He added that similar missiles had also struck kyiv and Zaporizhzhia earlier this year.
“Promoting progress”
Russian Ambassador to the UN Vassili Nebenzia denied the accusations. He opposed the presence of Ukraine and the European Union at the meeting.
Moscow and Pyongyang forged ties with a mutual defense agreement ten days ago, during a visit by Russian President Vladimir Putin to the North Korean capital.
North Korea’s U.N. ambassador, Kim Song, told the Security Council there was ‘no reason for concern’ and the signed deal was aimed at ‘promoting progress’ in relations between the two countries.
Washington was joined by its allies France and the United Kingdom in condemning North Korea’s arms deliveries to Russia in violation of sanctions.
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