Russia Seeks Arms-For-Food Deal With North Korea To Fight Ukraine, U.S. Says

Washington D.C./31.03.23/Turan:   The Biden administration said on Thursday it has new evidence that Russia is seeking North Korean weapons to fuel the war in Ukraine, this time in a deal that would provide Pyongyang with food and other commodities in return, TURAN's Washington correspondent reports.

The U.S. Treasury Department moved to announce new sanctions targeting Ashot Mkrtychev, a Slovakian man who it said attempted to facilitate the arm-for-food deal.

"This is the first designation in the DPRK sanctions program in response to Russia’s attempt to secure weapons from the DPRK," Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement.

According to him, Mkrtychev worked with DPRK officials in an attempt to obtain more than two dozen different kinds of weapons and munitions for Russia in exchange for materials ranging from commercial aircraft to raw materials and commodities to be sent to the DPRK.  He also confirmed Russia’s readiness to receive military equipment from the DPRK with senior Russian officials.

"Today’s action is a clear message that the United States will not relent in targeting those who provide support to Russia’s aggression and brutal war against Ukraine." Blinken said. "We will continue to identify, expose, and counter Russian attempts to acquire military equipment from the DPRK or any other state that is prepared to support its war in Ukraine," he concluded.

Alex Raufoglu