A US think tank reported the latest satellite imagery revealed a “dramatic” increase in traffic along the border between North Korea and Russia following the recent meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un last month, which could indicate a shipment of arms and ammunition to Russia.
A project of the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies, Beyond Parallel, reported on Friday that satellite images of North Korea’s Tumangang Rail Facility on the border with Russia showed a record 73 freight railcars.
The level of rail traffic is far greater than what Beyond Parallel has observed at the facility during the past five years, even compared to pre-Covid-19 levels.
Beyond Parallel suggests that such “unprecedented” traffic may indicate Pyongyang’s supply of arms and ammunition to Russia.
Last week, the Pentagon labelled Iran and North Korea as “persistent threats” in its strategy to counter weapons of mass destruction (WMD).
North Korea denied the accusations, claiming the US posed the biggest WMD threat in the world.
Tensions between the countries rose after US State Secretary Antony Blinken stated growing co-operation between Russia and North Korea threatened world peace.
In response, North Korea claimed that recent progress in relations with Russia was its “sovereign” right and “the foundation of regional stability.”
