Russian Foreign Minister dismisses U.S. claims of North Korea supplying munitions to Moscow as rumours
The Hindu
Russia's FM Lavrov denies US claims of North Korea transferring munitions to Russia, says US failed to prove it. Lavrov and Kim discussed joint efforts to expand bilateral ties and held talks on security issues on Korean Peninsula with China.
Russia's top diplomat shrugged off U.S. claims that North Korea transferred munitions to Russia, saying Washington has failed to prove the allegation.
Russian state television broadcast Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's comments on Friday. Mr. Lavrov made a two-day trip to Pyongyang this week for talks on ways to boost the two countries’ ties following a September summit between North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The White House said last week that North Korea had delivered more than 1,000 containers of military equipment and weapons to Russia. It released images that it said showed the containers were loaded onto a Russian-flagged ship before being moved via train to southwestern Russia.
White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said the U.S. believes Mr. Kim is seeking sophisticated Russian weapons technologies in return for the munitions to boost North Korea’s military and nuclear program.
Mr. Lavrov scoffed at the U.S. claims, saying that “the Americans keep accusing everyone.”
“I don't comment on rumors,” he added.
Since last year, the U.S. has accused North Korea of providing ammunition, artillery shells and rockets to Russia for the fighting in Ukraine. North Korea has steadfastly denied it shipped arms to Russia. South Korean officials charged that weapons North Korean provided already were used in Ukraine.