World
Wagner Group Suspected of Dumping North Korean Weapons Into Ukraine
By Belal Awad · July 30, 2023
In brief…
- North Korean weaponry found in Ukraine conflict has raised serious concerns within the international community.
- The Wagner Group allegedly procured weapons and ammunition from North Korea, linking Russia to the arms supply chain.
- The NoKo revelation has potential ramifications for regional and global security.
North Korean weaponry has been identified in the ongoing Ukraine conflict. The bizarre revelation has heightened apprehensions in Ukraine over North Korea’s potential role in the conflict.
Former British Army Intelligence Officer Phillip Ingram pointed to the striking resemblance between the rockets used in recent attacks in Dnipro and known North Korean armaments. Reports suggest that the Wagner Group, a Russian private military firm, has procured weapons and ammunition from North Korea within the past year, Ingram told Sky News: “Prigozhin, the head of the Wagner group, going to North Korea last year to procure weapons and ammunition from North Korea. North Korea has got huge stocks of them.”
Ukrainian authorities maintain that the seized missiles are from Russian stocks present in the region, suggesting a potential connection between Russia and North Korea’s arms supply chain. The Ukrainian army has in turn been using these same weapons, seized during fighting, against Russian forces according to Ingram. “the best way to dispose of them… is to use them,” he said.
The discovery of North Korean weaponry in a conflict zone far removed from the Korean peninsula has implications for global security, and brings to light the complex interplay of geo-political alliances and modern war.
As the conflict continues, international observers are keeping a close watch on these and other developments to determine North Korea’s exact role and its potential impact on the region’s stability.