DPRK sharply increases transportation to Russia after Kim-Putin meeting
The Beyond Parallel project of the US Centre for Strategic and International Studies has observed a sharp upsurge in freight traffic between North Korea and Russia following the two leaders' meeting in September.
Source: European Pravda, citing an article by Beyond Parallel
Details: A satellite image of a railway facility in the North Korean city of Tumangan, on the border with Russia, dated 5 October 2023, captured an unprecedented number of freight cars with a total of about 73.
The activity at Tumangan is much higher than what US analysts from Beyond Parallel have observed at the site over the past five years, even before the coronavirus pandemic. Furthermore, construction of what is likely to be a new storage facility is underway nearby.
"Given that Kim and Putin discussed some military exchanges and cooperation at their recent summit, the dramatic increase in rail traffic likely indicates North Korea’s supply of arms and munitions to Russia," the article stated.
Analysts point out that it's impossible to draw precise conclusions because all the cargoes on the satellite image are covered with tarpaulins. However, they recall that Russian railway cars were observed in Tumangan in November 2022, when the United States first announced that the DPRK was supplying weapons to Russian terrorists from the Wagner Private Military Company (PMC).
Analysts believe that in exchange for weapons, Kim might receive much-needed energy and food aid, as well as advanced weapons technologies, including those related to intercontinental ballistic missiles, submarines with nuclear ballistic missiles, and military reconnaissance satellites.
There are concerns that the potential transfer of Russian technology will increase the threat posed by North Korea's growing arsenal of nuclear weapons and missiles designed to strike the United States, South Korea and Japan.
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