Ukrainian soldiers were seen using North Korean rockets in their attacks against Russian forces, the Financial Times reported on Saturday. The Ukrainian side said the rockets were seized by a “friendly country” before they were delivered to them. As per the report, the country’s defence ministry suggested that the arms were captured from the Russians.
The US has accused North Korea of supplying arms to Russia. This supply includes alleged shipments by sea. However, the claims by the US were not backed by any proof and North Korean weapons have not been widely seen being used in the war. Meanwhile, North Korea and Russia have denied having arms transactions.
The North Korean weapons were shown by Ukrainian troops operating Soviet-era Grad multiple-launch rocket systems near the destroyed eastern city of Bakhmut, site of lengthy brutal fighting, the report said.
Russia’s Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu made a rare visit to Pyongyang this week to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the end of the Korean War, the first visit by Moscow’s top defence official since the 1991 break-up of the Soviet Union.
During the visit, Shoigu was photographed viewing banned North Korean ballistic missiles with leader Kim Jong Un at a military expo in Pyongyang, signalling deeper ties between the two countries as they each face off with the United States.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Saturday that an African initiative could be a basis for peace in Ukraine but that Ukrainian attacks made it hard to realise.
“There are provisions of this peace initiative that are being implemented,” he said, adding that there are things that are “difficult or impossible to implement”.
Putin was speaking at a press conference after meeting African leaders in St Petersburg on Friday and hearing their calls for Moscow to move ahead with their plan.
(With Reuters inputs)