Reports of a Russia-North Korea food-for-weapons deal would violate UN law, says US
31/3/2023 Sydney - Middle East Times Int’l: The US had said it had new information that Russia was actively seeking to acquire extra weapons or ammunition from North Korea. White House national security spokesman John Kirby said: “We remain concerned that North Korea will provide further support to Russia's military operations against Ukraine and we have new information that Russia is actively seeking to acquire additional munitions from North Korea.” Mr Kirby's comments come after the US imposed sanctions on a Slovakian man for trying to arrange the sale of more than 24 types of North Korean weapons and munitions to Russia. "We also understand that Russia is seeking to send a delegation in North Korea and that Russia is offering North Korea food in exchange for munitions," Mr Kirby said. He added that any weapons deal between North Korea and Russia would violate UN Security Council resolutions. SPRING CONSCRIPTION Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a decree that sets out how many citizens should be called up as part of the annual spring conscription campaign which happens every year. The Tass news agency said 147,000 Russians should be called up for statutory military service. In September, Putin signed an order calling up 120,000 people for the autumn campaign. At the time, Tass quoted Russia's defence ministry as saying the conscription was not related to its “special military operation” in Ukraine. In Russia, all men aged between 18 and 27 are required to carry out a year's military service, or the equivalent training while in higher education. In recent years, about 130,000 people have been called up every spring and autumn, Tass said. It comes days after Russia launched a new campaign seeking volunteers to replenish the country's troops for the war in Ukraine. Advertisements are offering cash bonuses and other benefits; the move appears to head off fears that a mass mobilisation - similar to that in September which saw thousands of Russians flee the country - was on the way. VISIT TO TURKEY Russia's foreign minister Sergei Lavrov will visit Turkey next week, Turkish media report. The Kremlin official will reportedly visit the country from April 6-7 with the war in Ukraine and developments in Syria likely to be discussed in talks with Turkish officials. Mr Lavrov has made multiple trips to Africa recently in an effort to show that the West has failed to isolate Moscow. He also spoke of his hopes of amending what he called "frictions" between Azerbaijan and Iran. CRIMINAL LABOUR Convicts are being offered by prison bosses to help with military production for the Russian army, the country's daily newspaper Kommersant reports. Russia's Federal Penitentiary Service has offered the state-owned defence company Rostec inmates to help boost the production of weapons, sources told the newspaper. The newpaper said that inmates could be used for certain types of work that “do not require high qualifications”. The aviation industry noted that if Rostec does allow prisoners to help then they could theoretically be in demand "in simple working specialties," a source said. Rostec is headquartered in Moscow and manufactures missiles, military equipment and aircraft for the military. |
