N. Korea denies US claims it sent artillery shells to Russia

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korea has denied American claims that it’s delivery artillery shells and ammunition to Russia for use in its war versus Ukraine, and on Tuesday accused the United States of lying.

The denial follows dozens of weapons tests by North Korea, like shorter-range missiles that are very likely nuclear-able and an intercontinental ballistic missile that could concentrate on the U.S. mainland. Pyongyang mentioned it was testing the missiles and artillery so it could “mercilessly” strike crucial South Korean and U.S. targets if it selected to.

North Korea has been cozying up to standard ally Russia in recent years and even hinted at sending staff to assist rebuild Russian-occupied territories in Ukraine. The United States has accused North Korea, 1 of the most weaponized nations around the world in the entire world, of providing Soviet-period ammunition these as artillery shells, to replenish Russian stockpiles that have been depleted in the Ukraine.

Last week, Russia sent North Korean leader Kim Jong Un a trainload of 30 thoroughbred horses, opening the border with its neighbor for the initially time in 2 1/2 decades. Kim is an avid horseman and point out media have usually pictured him galloping on snowy mountain trails astride a white charger. The horses, Orlov trotters, are prized in Russia.

Spokespeople of Russia’s Much Japanese Railway explained to the point out-run information company Nov. 2 that the initially resumed teach headed to North Korea with the 30 horses and reported the future practice was to have medication.

Industry experts say North Korea may possibly be searching for Russian gas and also technological know-how transfers and supplies wanted to advance its army abilities as it pursues additional sophisticated weapons methods.

In September, North Korea restarted its freight prepare service with China, its biggest trading spouse, ending a five-month hiatus.

Last week, U.S. Nationwide Safety Council spokesperson John Kirby accused North Korea of covertly supplying a “significant number” of ammunition shipments to Russia. He mentioned the United States believes North Korea was making an attempt to obscure the transfer route by earning it show up the weapons were remaining despatched to nations in the Center East or North Africa.

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“We regard this kind of moves of the U.S. as part of its hostile attempt to tarnish the picture of (North Korea) in the global arena,” an unknown vice director at the North Korean ministry’s armed forces international affairs office said in a statement carried by point out media.

“We at the time again make clear that we have hardly ever experienced ‘arms dealings’ with Russia and that we have no system to do so in the foreseeable future,” the vice director stated.

In September, U.S. officials confirmed a freshly declassified U.S. intelligence getting that Russia was in the course of action of acquiring tens of millions of rockets and artillery shells from North Korea. North Korea afterwards dismissed that report, contacting on Washington to end producing “reckless remarks” and to “keep its mouth shut.”

On Nov. 2, Kirby mentioned the U.S. has “an idea” of which region or nations around the world the North could funnel the weapons by but would not specify. He said the North Korean shipments are “not going to adjust the system of the war,” citing Western attempts to resupply the Ukrainian navy.

Slapped by global sanctions and export controls, Russia in August bought Iranian-built drones that U.S. officers stated experienced specialized difficulties. For Russia, specialists say North Korea is possible another superior solution for its ammunitions offer, because the North keeps a major stockpile of shells, quite a few of them copies of Soviet-era types.

Even as most of Europe and the West has pulled absent, North Korea has pushed to increase relations with Russia, blaming the U.S. for the disaster and decrying the West’s “hegemonic policy” as justifying military motion by Russia in Ukraine to safeguard itself. In July, North Korea became the only nation aside from Russia and Syria to identify the Donetsk and Luhansk territories as independent.

North Korea’s possible arms supply to Russia would be a violation of U.N. resolutions that ban the North from trading weapons with other countries. But it is unlikely for North Korea to acquire contemporary sanctions for that for the reason that of a division at the U.N. Security Council around America’s confrontations with Russia concerning its war in Ukraine and its individual strategic competitions with China.

Previously this yr, Russia and China already vetoed a U.S.-led endeavor to toughen sanctions on North Korea above its series of ballistic missile exams that are banned by various U.N. Stability Council resolutions.

Some observers say North Korea has also been applying the Russian aggression in Ukraine as a window to ramp up weapons testing activity and dial up stress on the United States and South Korea. Previous 7 days, the North exam-fired dozens of missiles in response to huge-scale U.S.-South Korea aerial drills that Pyongyang views as a rehearsal for a potential invasion.

In a independent statement printed Tuesday by state media, a senior North Korean diplomat criticized U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’ latest condemnation of North Korea’s missile launch barrage, contacting him a “mouthpiece” of the U.S. government.

“The U.N. secretary common is echoing what the White Household and the State Department say as if he were being their mouthpiece, which is deplorable,” mentioned Kim Son Gyong, vice minister for worldwide businesses at the North Korean Foreign Ministry.

Kim reported that Guterres’ “unfair and prejudiced behavior” has contributed to the worsening tensions in the location.

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