Amidst mounting tensions, the White House has accused Russia of clandestinely supplying refined petroleum to North Korea in quantities exceeding UN-imposed limits, potentially warranting new sanctions.
John Kirby, White House national security spokesperson, disclosed that Russia has been shipping refined petroleum from Port Vostochny to North Korea, despite UN sanctions restricting Pyongyang to importing only 500,000 barrels of refined products annually.
In March alone, Kirby stated, Russia reportedly shipped over 165,000 barrels of refined petroleum to North Korea, indicating a sustained flow of shipments due to the geographical proximity of Russian and North Korean commercial ports.
This revelation comes after Russia blocked the renewal of the UN sanctions monitors’ mandate in late March, prompting accusations from the US of Moscow attempting to conceal its own violations of Security Council resolutions.
Kirby emphasized the US’s commitment to imposing sanctions against entities facilitating arms and petroleum transfers between Russia and North Korea. Cooperation with international partners, including Australia, the European Union, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea, and the United Kingdom, will be continued to enforce autonomous sanctions designations.
In March, the US and South Korea initiated a task force aimed at thwarting North Korea’s illicit oil procurement efforts. Additionally, allegations have surfaced regarding North Korea’s transfer of weapons to Russia for potential use against Ukraine, a claim denied by both Moscow and Pyongyang. However, both nations pledged to bolster military ties last year.
Recent findings by UN sanctions monitors indicate that debris from a missile that struck Kharkiv, Ukraine, on Jan. 2 belonged to a North Korean Hwasong-11 series ballistic missile, further intensifying concerns over illicit weapon transfers and violations of international sanctions.
