In a recent revelation, United Nations sanctions monitors declared that the debris from a missile that struck the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv on January 2 was sourced from a North Korean Hwasong-11 series ballistic missile. The monitors’ findings, detailed in a 32-page report, underscore a breach of the arms embargo imposed on North Korea.
Formerly known as the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), North Korea has faced UN sanctions since 2006 due to its ballistic missile and nuclear programs, with subsequent measures tightening over time.
Following an inspection of the debris, three sanctions monitors, who visited Ukraine earlier this month, found no evidence implicating Russia in the missile’s manufacture. They could not independently determine the launch location or responsible party but noted Ukrainian data suggesting it was fired from Russian territory, potentially implicating Russian involvement.
The report suggests that if the missile was controlled by Russian forces, it would likely point to procurement by Russian nationals, constituting a breach of the arms embargo on North Korea.
Both the Russian and North Korean missions to the United Nations refrained from immediate comment on the monitors’ report.
Amid escalating tensions, the US and other nations have accused North Korea of supplying weapons to Russia for use against Ukraine, an assertion denied by both Moscow and Pyongyang. Despite denials, the two nations pledged to strengthen military ties in the previous year.
During a UN Security Council session in February, the US accused Russia of launching DPRK-supplied ballistic missiles against Ukraine on multiple occasions.
The Hwasong-11 series ballistic missiles, according to UN monitors, were publicly tested by Pyongyang for the first time in 2019.
In a significant move, Russia recently vetoed the annual renewal of the UN sanctions monitors, known as the panel of experts, responsible for overseeing enforcement of sanctions on North Korea for its nuclear and ballistic missile activities. The mandate for the current panel of experts is set to expire imminently.
Following the January 2 attack, the Kharkiv region prosecutor’s office presented fragments of the missile to the media, highlighting distinctions from Russian models and suggesting North Korean origin.
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