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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:
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Yahoo
Texarkana man found guilty of federal drug trafficking
BOWIE COUNTY, Texas (KETK) – A Texarkana man was found guilty last week of federal drug trafficking after 3600 illegal pills were discovered inside his home. According to officials, Deablo Deshown Lewis, was arrested in Texarkana, Ark. on April 1, 2021 after he was caught agreeing to sell 150 counterfeit OxyContin 'M-30' pills to another person. Following his arrest, Lewis admitted to having marijuana inside his home, which led to a search warrant being issued. Tyler police investigate death of 28-year-old woman During the search of Lewis's home, officers were able to locate over 2,800 counterfeit 'M-30' pills containing fentanyl, over 700 'ecstasy' pills containing methamphetamine along with over 180 counterfeit Xanax pills, according to officials. Two loaded firearms were also recovered from Lewis' home during the investigation. After posting bond, Lewis was arrested once again in February 2022, after officers stopped a vehicle that they suspected was doing a drug deal, a press release said. The driver then admitted he had purchased counterfeit 'M-30' pills from Lewis. Following a three-day trial, Lewis was found guilty by a jury of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, methamphetamine, marijuana and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime. A sentence hearing will be scheduled following the completion of a pre-sentence investigation by the U.S. Probation Office. Lewis could potentially spend the next 40 years in federal prison, according to a press release. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
14-04-2025
- Yahoo
Armed drug trafficker in Tarboro sentenced to more than five years in prison
NEW BERN, N.C. (WNCT) — On Friday, Apr. 11, 2025, a man in Rocky Mount was sentenced to 68 months in prison for possession of a firearm to further drug trafficking and distribution of fentanyl. Nedall Alwan, 30, pled guilty to the charges on January 14, 2025. Court documents say that in March 2023, the Tarboro Police Department and Edgecomb Sheriff's Office received information that Alwan, who was operating a vape and tobacco store in Tarboro, was selling narcotics. Officers made three controlled purchases of 'Perc 30' pills from Alwan between Mar. 8 and Apr. 5, 2023. On Apr. 6, 2023, officers searched Alwan's vape and tobacco business and found 290 'M-30' pills that contained 30 grams of fentanyl, a 9mm rifle, and $9,533.00 in U.S. currency. A 9mm handgun was also found in Alwan's car, and additional U.S. currency was found at his home. Daniel P. Bubar, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Louise W. Flanagan. The Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Enforcement, Edgecombe County Sheriff's Office, and the Tarboro and Rocky Mount Police Departments investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy Severo prosecuted the case. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
01-04-2025
- Yahoo
Man with a pair of pending drug cases, arrested on a third
Mar. 31—Vontrell Dajour Reeves had two warrants; held currently in Mower County Jail An Austin man with two warrants for a pair of drug cases has been arrested and charged in a third during a first appearance in Mower County District Court Monday. Vontrell Dajour Reeves, 28, has been charged with felony third degree drug possession in a school/park/public housing zone and felony fifth degree drug possession in this most recent case. According to the court complaint, Reeves was arrested on March 29 after an Austin Police Department officer was dispatched to the 100 block of Second Street SE on a report that he was at the residence. When the officer arrived, Reeves was found digging in the garbage outside of the home and was placed under arrest. A search of his person allegedly discovered .5 grams of fentanyl in one of his socks. The home in question was just over 225 feet from Twin Towers, a public housing complex. In a previous case, dating back to November of 2022, Reeves was arrested and charged with two felony counts of third degree narcotic sales as well as felony fourth degree drug possession with the intent to sell. According to the complaint in that case a confidential informant bought 14 M-30 pills from Reeves. A couple months later, in January of 2023, Austin police searched a home in the 100 block of Second Avenue SE and discovered a knotted off baggie containing a large number of the pills. Reeves claimed that he was selling the pills to help the person who leased the residence pay for rent. Reeves pleaded not guilty to the three charges, but amended his plea to guilty on the intent to sell charge in exchange for the remaining charges to be dismissed and that Reeves be released into treatment. However, on March 4 a warrant was issued for failure to appear for a hearing, one of several times throughout the course of the case that Reeves had skipped a hearing. He has since been ordered to be held without bail or bond in Mower County Jail. He is scheduled to be sentenced in this case on Thursday. In a third case, Reeves was charged with fifth degree drug possession, a gross misdemeanor, after he was arrested on Feb. 2 of this year after an officer observed Reeves driving in Austin at around midnight, noting that a warrant had been issued for his arrest. Reeves was tracked to a home in the 100 block of Second Street SE where he was arrested and where he also attempted to drop a folded foil that had a white powdery substance along with a clear unknown substance, which Reeves later allegedly admitted that the white powdery substance was fentanyl that he was holding for somebody else. More News Session crossroads: Deadlines loom, budget decisions near, sports stadium requests simmer Trump tariff tumult has ripples for sporting goods, puts costly hockey gear in price-hike crosshair Minnesota food shelves worried as USDA cancels truckloads of food Golden opportunity: Austin junior has discovered a love of wheelchair basketball Print Article
Morocco World
30-01-2025
- Business
- Morocco World
Spain-Morocco Underwater Rail Tunnel Project Pushed Back to 2040
Doha - The ambitious underwater rail tunnel project connecting Spain and Morocco through the Strait of Gibraltar has been delayed, with completion now projected for 2040, a decade later than initially planned. The announcement comes as new technical studies and seismic analyses are underway to determine the feasibility of this complex infrastructure project. Spanish Transport Minister Oscar Puente has taken the initiative to revive this long-standing project, which has been in discussion for over 45 years. The tunnel, designed exclusively for rail transport, will connect Punta Paloma in Cadiz, Spain, with Punta Malabata near Tangier, Morocco. The project involves constructing a 42-kilometer tunnel, with nearly 30 kilometers submerged at depths reaching 475 meters. Initial plans call for a single gallery accommodating both directions, with a second tunnel planned in a later phase to separate incoming and outgoing traffic. Two key preliminary studies are currently in progress. Herrenknecht Ibérica, a Spanish subsidiary of the German firm Herrenknecht, was awarded a €296,000 contract in October 2024 to analyze the feasibility of drilling through the 'Camarinal Sill,' the elevation separating the Mediterranean Sea from the Atlantic Ocean. The company, known for its work on Madrid's M-30 tunnels and the Bosphorus crossing in Turkey, will complete its study by July. 'Herrenknecht Ibérica has not been contracted to supply technology or perform construction work. The contract exclusively concerns a feasibility study,' company representatives told El Confidencial. A second study involving seismic monitoring was initially contracted to Tekpam Ingenieria but was suspended following security concerns raised by the Royal Institute and Naval Observatory. Read also: What Makes Bridging the Strait of Gibraltar Between Spain and Morocco So Challenging? The study is now scheduled to resume between April and September under naval supervision, when weather conditions are more favorable. The project faces significant technical challenges, particularly due to its location at the boundary between the Eurasian and African tectonic plates along the Azores-Gibraltar fault line. The complex geology of the strait has been identified by the Spanish Institute of Engineering as one of the primary obstacles. The financial investment in the project has been substantial. Between 2016 and 2021, SECEGSA (Spanish Society for Fixed Communication Studies across the Strait of Gibraltar) received annual funding of €50,000, totaling over €2 million. The budget increased to €100,000 in 2022 and €750,000 in 2023. Total investment has reportedly exceeded €50 million, with the complete project estimated to cost more than €15 billion. While initial plans aimed to complete the tunnel by 2030, coinciding with the FIFA World Cup co-hosted by Spain, Portugal, and Morocco, experts agree this timeline is unrealistic given the project's complexity and current preliminary stage of studies. The project is being jointly managed by SECEGSA and its Moroccan counterpart, SNED (National Society for Strait Studies), with both organizations working to establish a reliable rail connection for passengers and freight between Europe and North Africa.
