US Adds Individuals Involved in North Korea-Russia Missile Deal to Sanctions List

The U.S. government has sanctioned companies and individuals involved in the missile trade between North Korea and Russia.

According to Reuters and others, the U.S. Department of State announced on the 11th (local time) that it has put three Russian institutions and one individual who helped the arms trade between Russia and North Korea on the financial sanctions list, confirming that some of the ballistic missiles used in the Ukrainian war were made in North Korea.

Secretary Anthony Blinken said in a statement that day, “North Korea’s support for ballistic missiles to Russia supports Russia’s aggressive war, exacerbates the suffering of the Ukrainian people, and weakens the world non-proliferation system.” He emphasized, “The United States will closely monitor whether there has been a financial transaction between North Korea and Russia and will mobilize all means to track individuals and organizations related to this transaction.”

The sanctions list released by the State Department that day included Russia’s state-run airline, the 224th Flight Unit, its representative Vladimir Vladimirovich Mikeichik, Vladimirovka Research Complex, and Ashuruk Missile Test Site.

The 224th Flight Unit is a commercial air cargo transport service company. The State Department announced that two cargo planes of this airline delivered North Korea’s ballistic missiles to Russia at the end of November last year. It also added that there was support for equipment to move North Korean missiles at the Vladimirovka Research Complex, and missile tests were conducted at the Ashuruk Test Site ahead of actual deployment.

Earlier, John Kirby, Strategic Communications Coordinator of the U.S. White House National Security Council (NSC), said, “Russia attacked Ukraine with North Korean ballistic missiles on the 30th of last month and the 2nd,” and “We have obtained information that Russia and North Korea have traded weapons, and the relevant authorities are thoroughly investigating.”