A U.S. official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Monday that Russia’s move toward North Korea demonstrates that “the Russian military continues to suffer from severe supply shortages in Ukraine, in part due to export controls and sanctions”. US intelligence officials believe the Russians could seek additional North Korean military equipment in the future. The Secret Service’s finding was first reported by the New York Times. The finding comes after the Biden administration recently confirmed that the Russian military received Iranian-made drones for battlefield use in Ukraine in August. The White House said last week that Russia experienced technical problems with the Mohajer-6 and Shahed-series drones, purchased as part of what the Biden administration says is likely part of a Russian plan to acquire hundreds of Iranian drones unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). North Korea has sought to tighten ties with Russia as much of Europe and the West has turned away. The regime has blamed the US for the crisis in Ukraine and claimed that the West’s “hegemonic policy” justifies Russia’s military action in Ukraine to protect itself. The North Koreans have shown interest in sending construction workers to help rebuild Russian-held territory in the east of the country. North Korea’s ambassador to Moscow recently met with envoys from two Russian-backed separatist territories in Ukraine’s Donbass region and expressed optimism for cooperation in the “labor migration sector,” citing the easing of his country’s pandemic border controls. In July, North Korea became the only nation besides Russia and Syria to recognize the self-proclaimed republics in Luhansk and Donetsk, further aligning itself with Russia over the conflict in Ukraine.
