Latest news with #D-20
&w=3840&q=100)
First Post
3 days ago
- Politics
- First Post
Missiles, troops, and millions of rounds: How deep is North Korea into Russia's war in Ukraine?
North Korea has become one of Russia's most crucial wartime allies, supplying missiles, troops and millions of artillery rounds to support its war in Ukraine. A new multilateral report exposes the full scale of Pyongyang's military support to Moscow, and how this arms pipeline is shaping the battlefield read more Over the past two years, North Korea has significantly deepened its military cooperation with Russia, supplying a wide array of troops, munitions, missiles and equipment to bolster Moscow's ongoing war against Ukraine. A detailed and alarming report released by the Multilateral Sanctions Monitoring Team (MSMT) — a coalition of eleven UN member states — lays bare the scope and mechanics of these transfers, arguing that they constitute a direct violation of multiple UN Security Council resolutions. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The MSMT, formed in response to the disbandment of a previous UN panel overseeing sanctions on Pyongyang, has published what is is being touted as the most comprehensive analysis yet of the North Korea–Russia arms collaboration. Image Source: Multilateral Sanctions Monitoring Team (MSMT) report via an MSMT participating state Drawing on open-source intelligence and field investigations by organisations like the Open Source Centre (OSC) and Conflict Armament Research (CAR), the report, accessed by Firstpost outlines a systematic military supply chain funnelling support from Pyongyang to Moscow. From North Korea with love… and missiles According to MSMT participating states in the report, North Korea delivered at least 100 ballistic missiles to Russia between January and December 2024. These weapons were later used to attack urban centres and critical civilian infrastructure in Ukraine, including cities like Kyiv and Zaporizhzhia. Image Source: Multilateral Sanctions Monitoring Team (MSMT) report via an MSMT participating state The report noted, 'These forms of unlawful cooperation between (North Korea) and Russia contributed to Moscow's ability to increase its missile attacks against Ukrainian cities including targeted strikes against critical civilian infrastructure.' The arsenal sent from North Korea included an assortment of 82mm, 122mm, 130mm, 152mm and 170mm munitions, designed for compatibility with a variety of artillery systems in Russia's inventory such as the D-20 and D-30 howitzers, the M-30 and M-46 guns, and the D-74 cannon. Image Source: Multilateral Sanctions Monitoring Team (MSMT) report via an MSMT participating state The report specified that over 20,000 containers of such ammunition and related materiel were transferred since September 2023. One MSMT state estimated that in 2024 alone, up to 9 million rounds of artillery and multiple rocket launcher ammunition were delivered aboard Russian-flagged cargo vessels. Between August 2023 and March 2025, open-source estimates place that figure at 4.2 to 5.8 million rounds of 122mm and 152mm munitions, showing the sustained scale of deliveries. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Image Source: Multilateral Sanctions Monitoring Team (MSMT) report via Conflict Armament Research (CAR) In terms of heavy equipment, North Korea shipped three brigade sets of artillery systems, which included 170mm long-range self-propelled guns, 240mm multiple rocket launchers, reload vehicles, and over 200 military vehicles. Among the more advanced systems sent were Bulsae-4 anti-tank missiles and RPG-type anti-tank rockets. Following the recovery of these weapons from battlefields in Ukraine, the Ukrainian Ministry of Defence confirmed their North Korean origin. Image Source: Multilateral Sanctions Monitoring Team (MSMT) report via an MSMT participating state One particularly significant incident occurred in January 2024, when UN experts traced a missile strike on Kharkiv back to a North Korean Hwasong-11 series ballistic missile, confirming a violation of the longstanding UN arms embargo on North Korea. How North Korean troops are fighting for Russia against Ukraine According to the MSMT, more than 11,000 North Korean soldiers were deployed to eastern Russia in late 2024. These troops were subsequently relocated to the Kursk Oblast, where they were involved in direct combat operations alongside Russian forces. These North Korean units were trained in key military tactics by Russian forces, including drone warfare, artillery operations and trench-clearing techniques — skills critical to contemporary battlefield conditions. Image Source: Multilateral Sanctions Monitoring Team (MSMT) report via an MSMT participating state Between January and March 2025, another 3,000 soldiers were sent from North Korea to Russia. Both Russia and North Korea acknowledged the presence of these troops for the first time in April 2025. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Image Source: Multilateral Sanctions Monitoring Team (MSMT) report via an MSMT participating state Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that North Korean soldiers had participated in operations aimed at reclaiming Russian territory following a Ukrainian advance into the Kursk region. North Korean officials also confirmed their involvement. Though these troops had been in Russia since at least November 2024, Ukrainian intelligence reported that many were pulled from the frontlines in January 2025 after experiencing significant casualties. The logistics behind the North Korea-Russia arms trade Transportation of arms and personnel has been carried out through a combination of maritime, rail and air routes. Initially, arms transfers were conducted primarily by rail. However, to meet growing demand, Russia transitioned to using maritime shipping as the dominant mode of transport. A total of 49 shipments of artillery and rocket ammunition were recorded from January to mid-December 2024. Image Source: Multilateral Sanctions Monitoring Team (MSMT) report via an MSMT participating state Sensitive items such as missiles, missile launch vehicles (TELs) and electronic warfare systems were primarily transported via Russian military cargo aircraft. Aircraft identified in these transfers include the Ilyushin Il-76MD and Antonov AN-124, operated by the Russian Command of Military Transport Aviation (VTA) and Joint Stock Company the 224th Flight Unit State Airlines. Image Source: Multilateral Sanctions Monitoring Team (MSMT) report via an MSMT participating state In a strategic technological exchange, Russia is reported to have provided North Korea with air defence systems, including short-range weapons, advanced jamming equipment and at least one Pantsir-class combat vehicle. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The Pantsir system significantly enhances North Korea's defence capabilities by providing protection against a variety of aerial threats. Russia has also shared operational data on missile performance, which has helped North Korea fine-tune the guidance systems of its ballistic missiles. Image Source: Multilateral Sanctions Monitoring Team (MSMT) report via an MSMT participating state The MSMT report highlights that such information exchange enables Pyongyang to 'fund its military programmes and further develop its ballistic missiles programmes, which are themselves prohibited under multiple (UN Security Council resolutions), and gain first-hand experience in modern warfare.' Kim's 'gifts' to Putin North Korea's support for Russia hasn't been limited to military hardware and troops. In 2024, Pyongyang requested 8,000 labour visas for its workers, intending to send them to Russia for construction and forestry work. Between December 2024 and February 2025, 481 North Korean labourers were reportedly dispatched — 198 for the construction sector and 283 for textile jobs. Further plans include the deployment of IT professionals and medical staff from North Korea to Russia, marking a broader economic integration effort between the two nations despite international sanctions. The report also outlines how Russia and North Korea have engaged in financial transactions designed to bypass UN restrictions. The two countries have been operating ruble-denominated accounts through sanctioned North Korean banks — the Foreign Trade Bank (FTB) and the Korea Kwangson Banking Corporation (KKBC) — via MRB Bank in the South Ossetia region of Georgia. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD This financial collaboration violates Paragraph 33 of UN Security Council Resolution 2270 (2016), which bans financial institutions from maintaining relationships with North Korean banks unless approved by the Committee. The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) also mandates such measures under its recommendations aimed at curbing proliferation financing. What MSMT nations are saying In response to the findings, the MSMT's member nations — Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, New Zealand, South Korea, the United Kingdom, and the United States — issued a joint statement calling on North Korea to 'engage in meaningful diplomacy.' Meanwhile, concerns persist in the West about the growing depth of the Moscow-Pyongyang alliance. There are increasing fears that Russia may soon provide space and satellite technology to North Korea in return for sustained military support. Despite the denials from both Russia and North Korea regarding weapons transfers, their public commitment under a new bilateral defence pact to provide immediate military assistance in the event of an attack put their renewed level of trust and interdependence in the spotlight. While many of the materials and troops detailed in the MSMT report have already seen action in Ukraine, the report makes clear that this military cooperation is ongoing and likely to continue. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Also Watch:
Korea Herald
4 days ago
- Politics
- Korea Herald
North Korea sent heavy guns for 3 brigades, 8,000 workers to Russia in 2024 — more planned: report
North Korea provided enough heavy artillery to arm three Russian brigades and dispatched around 8,000 workers to Russia in 2024 alone, with plans to send thousands more in 2025, according to a report by a Seoul-led multilateral sanctions monitoring group released Thursday. The first-ever topic-specific report penned by the Multilateral Sanctions Monitoring Team since its launch in Seoul in October 2024 offered the detailed government-level official confirmation of illicit military cooperation and labor transfers between Pyongyang and Moscow. The findings by the MSMT — established with the participation of 11 member countries, including South Korea, the United States and Japan — pointed to clear violations of United Nations Security Council resolutions. The MSMT was launched as an alternative to the now-defunct UN monitoring panel on North Korea sanctions, which was dissolved following Russia's use of its veto power in April 2024. According to notable new findings in the report, over 200 pieces of heavy artillery — enough to equip three brigades — were transferred in 2024 alone. This included fully assembled military vehicles, multiple-rocket launchers, self-propelled guns and ammunition resupply vehicles. Specifically, the transfers included North Korean-made 170 mm self-propelled artillery and 240 mm multiple rocket launchers. In addition, approximately 9 million shells and multiple rocket launcher rounds were transferred from North Korea to Russia between January and mid-December 2024. The report also found that the weapons were delivered in 49 shipments via Russian cargo vessels from North Korea, then transported by rail from ports in the Russian Far East to ammunition depots in central and western Russia. Since September 2023, more than 20,000 containers worth of shells and related materials have been provided, the report said. In detail, North Korea's military supplies include 82 mm, 122 mm, 130 mm, 152 mm and 170 mm shells used in Russia's D-20 and D-30 towed howitzers, M-30 and M-46 howitzers and D-74 guns. The report also highlighted the transfer of weapons from Russia to North Korea. At least one Pantsir-class combat vehicle was transferred, the report found — indicating that Russia provided North Korea with either an actual Pantsir-S1 mobile air defense system or a comparable system with similar capabilities. North Korea has also been dispatching workers to Russia in violation of UN Security Council Resolutions 2375 and 2397 to illegally earn foreign currency. The report underscores North Korea's plans to send several thousand more workers to Russia in the first half of 2025, with personnel expected to be funneled into the construction, toll processing, IT and health care sectors. In 2024, around 8,000 North Korean workers were already dispatched to Russia. Between December 2024 and February 2025, 481 North Korean workers were sent — 198 in construction and 283 in the textile industry, according to the report. The MSMT has agreed to release topic-specific reports, and the first focuses primarily on unlawful North Korea–Russia military cooperation, consolidating information provided by participating member states and open-source intelligence organizations. "The report will assist with the full implementation of UN sanctions by the international community," read a joint English-language statement from the 11 MSMT member countries, issued on the occasion of the report's release. "With the release of the first MSMT report, we underscore once again our shared determination to fully implement relevant UNSCRs." The MSMT was established with the initiative of Seoul around seven months after Russia, using its veto as a permanent member of the UN Security Council in late March last year, blocked the renewal of the 1718 Committee Panel of Experts' mandate. Since 2009, the Panel of Experts has been tasked with overseeing the enforcement of UN Security Council resolutions on North Korea and issuing biannual reports on sanctions violations. We will continue our efforts to monitor the implementation of UNSCRs on the DPRK and raise awareness of ongoing attempts to violate and evade UN sanctions," the joint statement underscored, referring to North Korea by its official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.
Pink Villa
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Pink Villa
'Stop stealing': BTS ARMY slams HYBE for using RM's FESTA concept to promote SEVENTEEN ahead of June reunion
As the years turn into months, months into weeks, and weeks into days, the anticipation surrounding BTS's long-awaited return continues to grow stronger. The end of their military hiatus is no longer a distant dream—it's right around the corner. From celebratory messages like 'Congratulations BTS' to exciting countdowns such as D-30 and D-20, ARMYs are eagerly awaiting the moment their beloved Bangtan Boys reunite. After nearly three years apart, the reunion begins this June. RM and V are set to be discharged on June 10 and 11, respectively, with Jimin and Jungkook already home. SUGA will complete the final chapter of enlistments by returning on June 21, 2025, officially reuniting all seven members. However, amid this joyful anticipation, a wave of frustration has swept through the fandom. On May 22, BTS ARMY took to social media after spotting a large new slogan draped across HYBE's Yongsan building. The message, promoting SEVENTEEN, reads: 'SEVENTEEN WILL CHALLENGE ETERNITY.' This new banner replaced BTS' long-standing and iconic slogan, 'BTS PRESENTS EVERYWHERE,' just weeks before the group's homecoming and purple month. Outraged fans accused HYBE of insensitivity and even theft, claiming the new slogan borrows heavily from an idea that BTS—particularly RM, had discussed for their 10th anniversary. ARMYs flooded platforms like Twitter and Instagram with criticism, expressing disappointment and anger. One fan vented, 'That's so disgusting, I don't care abt anything, but here HYBE labels stole Namjoon's idea, HYBE.' Another echoed, 'It was Namjoon's unique idea to display afbf on the HYBE building. It's been done on a building built by BTS' success, on BTS' personal request.' A third demanded, 'HYBE better rip off that SVT label before June starts.' Questioning the company's decision, another user asked, 'So HYBE replaced 'BTS represents everywhere' with a slogan for a group that wouldn't even be here without BTS opening the doors?' Adding to the chorus, an ARMY shared, 'This better be gone by June 1st like that's purple month.' So why is SEVENTEEN's (SVT) slogan there in the first place? The explanation lies in SEVENTEEN's upcoming 10th anniversary, which falls on May 26, 2025. As part of their promotional campaign, the group has taken over the HYBE building's facade with the new banner. SEVENTEEN fans, known as CARAT, defended the move. One CARAT commented, 'Seventeen has always done this when they release a new album. Now that they're part of HYBE, it just happens to take place in that building. They're not offending or disrespecting anyone. BTS has always shown love and respect for other groups, so why this behavior?' Another added, 'Chill guys, it's their Anniversary coming—calm down.' While tensions remain high between the fandom and HYBE, it's important to remember that BTS and SEVENTEEN have long shared mutual respect. Despite the controversy, it's likely the artists themselves remain supportive of one another behind the scenes.
Newsweek
28-04-2025
- Politics
- Newsweek
Putin's Fear of Attacks on Victory Day Behind Abrupt Ceasefire: Kyiv
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Russia's declaration of a unilateral ceasefire in Ukraine for three days next month was met with skepticism by Ukraine. The Kremlin declared a ceasefire on Monday to observe the 80th anniversary of the Great Patriotic War. This is the term used by Russia to describe its participation in World War II after it joined the Allies in 1941, and the victory over Nazi Germany in 1945. Moscow has consistently claimed its invasion of Ukraine aimed to "de-Nazify" the country, a pretext widely rejected. Russia will not conduct any military operations between midnight on May 8 and midnight on May 11, the Kremlin said, adding that "Russia believes that the Ukrainian side should follow this example." Russian President Vladimir Putin is likely hoping to head off any possible Ukrainian attacks on May 9, when Russia typically hosts major celebrations, said Oleksandr Merezkho, the head of Ukraine's parliamentary foreign affairs committee and a member of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's party. It is a "purely propagandistic gesture," Merezkho told Newsweek. The United States has become increasingly irritated with the glacial pace of progress towards implementing a ceasefire agreement, more overtly criticizing Russia's recalcitrance to ink a deal despite pursuing a rapprochement with the Kremlin. President Donald Trump's special envoy, Steve Witkoff, arrived in Moscow on Friday for a fourth visit to Russia since January in a bid to move negotiations forward with senior Kremlin aides. Ukraine agreed to a 30-day ceasefire during talks with the U.S. in March. In a separate incident on Friday, a senior Russian commander who had been involved in failed talks with Ukraine after Moscow annexed Crimea from Kyiv in 2014 was killed after a car bomb exploded in an eastern suburb of Moscow. Russia's FSB security agency said it had detained a "resident of Ukraine," named as Ignat Kuzin. Russian authorities claimed Kuzin was recruited as a Ukrainian spy in April 2023. Russian servicemen fire a D-20 howitzer towards Ukrainian positions in Russia's Kursk area on April 9, 2025. Russian servicemen fire a D-20 howitzer towards Ukrainian positions in Russia's Kursk area on April 9, 2025. Sergey Bobylev / Sputnik via AP Ukraine does not typically comment publicly on suspected participation in high-profile assassinations. Putin's "previous unilateral declarations of ceasefire never worked," Merezkho said. Russia announced earlier this month it would halt all military operations against Ukraine for 30 hours to mark Easter. Reports trickling out of Ukraine suggested that the hundreds of miles of front lines were quieter than usual, but both sides accused each other of violating the ceasefire. Monday's proclamation appears similar to the short-lived Easter truce, said Gabrielius Landsbergis, who served as Lithuania's foreign minister until November 2024. It is unlikely that further progress will be made towards a ceasefire deal involving both countries, Landsbergis told Newsweek. "If Russia truly wants peace, it must cease fire immediately," Ukraine's foreign minister, Andrii Sybiha, said in a post on social media on Monday afternoon. "Why wait until May 8th? If the fire can be ceased now and since any date for 30 days—so it is real, not just for a parade." Merezkho said he had expected some form of announcement from the Kremlin in the lead-up to the pageantry surrounding May 9 in Russia. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Monday that Trump wanted a more permanent end to the more than three years of fighting, adding the president was "increasingly frustrated" with both Kyiv and Moscow. Trump has skirted hitting Putin with scathing criticism over the Kremlin's full-scale invasion of its neighbor in February 2022, but has publicly berated Ukraine's Zelensky. Trump met with Zelensky one-on-one as both leaders traveled to the Vatican for Pope Francis' funeral on Saturday. Trump, just before sharing images of himself and Zelensky hunched over in conversation, said in a post on Truth Social that there was "no reason for Putin to be shooting missiles into civilian areas, cities and towns, over the last few days." "It makes me think that maybe he doesn't want to stop the war, he's just tapping me along," Trump said. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Sunday that he believed the coming week would be "very critical" for ceasefire talks, while Washington weighs whether negotiating an end to the war is an "endeavour that we want to continue to be involved in." Putin's declaration of an Easter ceasefire came shortly after Rubio told reporters the U.S. would walk away from talks if a deal couldn't be reached quickly. The Kremlin reiterated on Monday that it sought to eliminate what it termed the "root causes behind the Ukraine crisis." Russia has laid out extensive conditions for its consent to a ceasefire in Ukraine, many of which have been flatly ruled out by Kyiv, including the dismantling of its military, no path toward NATO membership, and recognition of Russia's grip on seized territory. Russia currently controls around a fifth of Ukraine, which Kyiv has vowed to reclaim. Trump officials have signaled that a ceasefire could recognize Russian control over territory it has seized until now and freeze the conflict along the current front lines. The Kremlin said on Monday it would respond to any violations of the unilateral ceasefire by Ukraine.
