US Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced the imposition of sanctions on one individual and three Russian entities suspected of involvement in the transfer and testing of North Korea’s ballistic missiles. According to the announcement, these sanctions are a response to Russia’s use of said missiles against Ukraine.
The entities and individual sanctioned by the US are the 224th Flight Unit State Airlines, a state-owned enterprise separate from Russia’s Air Force; Vladimir Vladimirovich Mikheychik, the General Director of 224th Flight Unit State Airlines; Vladimirovka Advanced Weapons and Research Complex, a Russian military facility active in missile testing; and Ashuluk Firing Range, a Russian missile testing range. This is the first time that the US has imposed sanctions on parties involved in the trade of ballistic missiles between North Korea and Russia.
The sanctions announcement follows a joint statement by the US and its allies on January 9, denouncing arms transfers between North Korea and Russia. Specifically, the joint statement criticized Russia’s acquisition of North Korean ballistic missiles and their subsequent deployment against Ukraine on December 30 and January 2.
In response to these actions, Blinken stated that North Korea’s transfer of missiles to Russia “supports Russia’s war of aggression, increases the suffering of the Ukrainian people, and undermines the global nonproliferation regime.” Blinken further asserted that the US “will not hesitate to take further actions.”
Despite several visits between high-ranking Russian officials and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, both Moscow and Pyongyang deny they have engaged in any such armament agreements. Nonetheless, the White House alleged last week that Russia used short-range ballistic missiles (SRBMs) obtained from North Korea to carry out numerous attacks on Ukraine, based on recently declassified intelligence.
It’s worth noting that since its first nuclear test in 2006, North Korea has been subject to a United Nations arms embargo. Resolution 1718, passed by the UN Security Council and backed by Russia, prohibits nations from engaging in the trade of weapons or any other military equipment with North Korea.
The original article first appeared on JURIST – News.