US: Russia to buy rockets, artillery shells from North Korea

According to a new U.S. intelligence finding, the Russian Ministry of Defense is in the process of buying millions of rockets and shells from North Korea.

The fact that Russia is turning to the isolated state of North Korea shows that the Russian military continues to suffer from severe supply shortages due to export controls and sanctions.

The Russians could purchase more military equipment from North Korea in the future, according to U.S. intelligence officials. It was reported by The New York Times.

The U.S. official did not say how much weaponry Russia will purchase.

In August, the Biden administration confirmed that the Russian military took delivery of Iranian-manufactured drones for use on the battlefield.

The White House said last week that Russia had problems with the Iranian-made drones it used in the war with Ukraine.

Russia picked up Mohajer 6 and Shahed-series drones over several days last month as part of a plan to acquire hundreds of Iranian drones for use in Ukraine, according to the Biden administration.

As Europe and the West have pulled away, North Korea has sought to tighten relations with Russia, blaming the United States for the Ukraine crisis and decrying the West's "hegemonic policy" as justifying military action by Russia to protect itself.

Construction workers from North Korea may be sent to help rebuild Russian-occupied territories in the east.

The ambassador from North Korea met with envoys from the two Russia-backed territories in the Donbas region of Ukraine and expressed optimism about cooperation in the field of labor migration.

In July of this year, North Korea became the only nation besides Russia and Syria to recognize the independence of the territories.

As the Biden administration becomes more concerned about North Korea's pursuit of nuclear weapons, the provocative move by North Korea.

Despite U.S.-led pressure and sanctions, North Korea has test-fired more than 30 missiles this year, including its first flights of intercontinental missiles in two years.

Over the course of the war in Ukraine, the U.S. has frequently released intelligence findings to highlight plans for Russian misinformation operations or to highlight the difficulties of prosecuting the war. The Ukrainian military has put up a strong fight against the Russians.

Russian President Putin and Kim recently exchanged letters in which they both called for strategic and tactical cooperation. North Korea views the revival of large-scale military exercises between the United States and South Korea this year as an invasion rehearsal.

Russia and China have called for the UN to ease sanctions on North Korea. The UN Security Council has approved a number of rounds of sanctions against the North. The U.S.-led effort to impose new economic sanctions on North Korea was vetoed by Russia and China.

According to some experts, Kim could bolster his resolve to retain his nuclear weapons because he might think that the Russian attack happened because the Ukrainians signed away their nuclear weapons.

The relationship between Moscow and North Korea goes back to the foundation of the country in 1948. Before the fall of the Soviet Union, the aid shipment was crucial in keeping the economy afloat.

Moscow established diplomatic relations with South Korea in order to draw investment and allow its military alliance with North Korea to come to an end. After his election in 2000, Putin sought to restore his country's ties with North Korea in order to gain more allies to deal with the US.

That's right.

Two Associated Press writers in South Korea contributed to the report.