Russia used North Korean missiles for Ukraine attacks and is seeking Iran deal, US says
- White House said intelligence found North Korea has provided Russia with ballistic missile launchers and several ballistic missiles
- A Russia-Iran deal has not been completed but US is concerned negotiations are actively advancing, the White House said
US intelligence officials have determined that Russia has acquired ballistic missiles from North Korea and is seeking close-range ballistic missiles from Iran as Moscow struggles to replenish supplies for its war with Ukraine, the White House said.
Recently declassified intelligence found that North Korea has provided Russia with ballistic missile launchers and several ballistic missiles, National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said on Thursday.
Russian forces fired at least one of those ballistic missiles into Ukraine on December 30 and it landed in an open field in the Zaporizhzhia region, he said.
Russia launched multiple North Korean ballistic missiles on Tuesday as part of an overnight attack, and the US was assessing the impact, he said. The missiles have a range of about 885km (550 miles).
US intelligence officials believe that North Korea, in return for its arms support, wants Russia to provide it with aircraft, surface-to-air missiles, armoured vehicles, ballistic missile production equipment and other advanced technologies.