Expected American Actions After North Korea's Support for Moscow

The White House announced today, Thursday, based on recently declassified intelligence, that North Korea has recently supplied Russia with ballistic missiles and launchers to use in its war against Ukraine. National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters that Washington will raise this development at the United Nations Security Council. Kirby described North Korea's arms transfer to Russia as a "significant and concerning escalation," adding that the United States will impose additional sanctions on those facilitating these arms deals. He stated, "Our information indicates that the Democratic People's Republic of Korea has recently supplied Russia with ballistic missile launchers and several ballistic missiles," using the official name for North Korea. He continued that in the past few days, "Russian forces have fired at least one North Korean ballistic missile towards Ukraine," noting that the missile appears to have landed in an open area. Kirby pointed out that Iran has not sent short-range ballistic missiles to Russia, but Washington believes that Moscow intends to purchase missile systems from Tehran.