BBC: Russia supplies DPRK with over million barrels of oil in back military assistance

Since March 2024, Russia has supplied North Korea (DPRK) with more than a million barrels (56 thousand tons) of oil, probably as a payment for military support.

This is reported by the BBC, citing data from the British research center Open Source Center.

An analysis of satellite images shared by the research center with journalists shows that from March to November 2024, more than a dozen North Korean tankers made 43 trips between a Russian oil terminal in the Far East and their ports.

All vessels arrived in Russia empty and returned loaded with oil. It is indicated that the tankers had moved with tracking systems turned off, which had concealed their movements.

The first voyage documented by the Open Source Center took place on March 7. That is, seven months after it first became known that the DPRK had been supplying Russia with weapons. The last route was recorded on November 5.

Leading experts and British Foreign Secretary David Lammy told the BBC that they believed the Kremlin was using this oil to pay North Korea for the weapons and soldiers Pyongyang provided to Russia as part of its assistance in the war against Ukraine.

According to Joe Byrne, a senior analyst at the Open Source Center, such constant oil supplies give the DPRK “a level of stability it hasn’t had since these sanctions were introduced.”

North Korea is under UN sanctions because of its nuclear program. In particular, the DPRK is prohibited from purchasing more than 500 thousand barrels of oil per year. Thus, Russian oil supplies are a violation of sanctions.

DPRK’s assistance to Russia

Recently, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi said in an interview with Ukrainian Radio that the DPRK had already transferred a large amount of weapons to Russia for the war against Ukraine, including ammunition.

“As for North Korea, they handed over at least 3.5 million artillery rounds, and then they handed over missiles,” Zelenskyi said.

According to the President, the further participation and number of DPRK troops in the war against Ukraine depends on how the international community will react.

More than a week ago, North Korean long-range M1989 Koksan 170 mm SPGs were also spotted in Russia during transportation by rail.