National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said the US believes North Korea is “trying to make it look like they’re being sent to countries in the Middle East or North Africa.” He did not give a specific estimate of the amount of ammunition sent to Russia. Russia says nuclear forces are ‘on brink of immediate armed conflict’ – latest updates Mr Kirby said North Korea was “covertly supplying” the munitions to Russia, but “we are still monitoring it to determine if the shipments have actually been received”. He insisted the missions “are not going to change the course of the war,” citing Western efforts to resupply the Ukrainian military. The White House did not specify how it would be transported or whether Western nations would attempt to intercept the shipments to Russia. He disclosed the information nearly two months after US intelligence officials first said they had determined that the Russian Defense Ministry was in the process of buying millions of rockets and artillery shells from North Korea for its invasion of Ukraine. The White House is downplaying the significance Despite revealing information about the secret missions, the White House tried to downplay their importance. “We don’t think it’s in such an amount that they would change the direction of this war or change the momentum appreciably in either the East or the South,” where some of the fiercest fighting in Ukraine is taking place, Mr. Kirby said. he said. He said the shipments were a sign not only of Pyongyang’s willingness to support Russia, but also of Moscow’s munitions shortages, caused by Western sanctions and export controls. Use Chrome browser for more accessible video player 3:33 Is Russia running out of weapons? North Korea accuses the US of “tarnishing” its reputation In September, North Korea said it had never supplied weapons or ammunition to Russia and had no plans to do so. He went on to warn the US to “keep its mouth shut” and stop spreading rumors aimed at “tarnishing” the country’s image.
