Sanctions will not be effective: does the West have a response to North Korea for transferring ballistics to Russia?

Still at the end of December 2023 In 2018, the United States reported that North Korea handed over containers of ammunition to Russia. Subsequently, the White House announced Russia's use of ballistic missiles from the DPRK against Ukraine.

Moderate the governments of North Korea and Iran, which is probably also helping the aggressor country could face sanctions pressure from the West. Candidate of Political Sciences, international relations expert Stanislav Zhelikhovsky spoke about this Channel 24, adding that, however, sanctions will no longer be as effective as before.

How the West can counteract the DPRK and Iran

Currently, these regimes, together with the Russian one, form the so-called “axis of evil”. We can also recall China, which actually allows North Korea and Iran to provide Russia with various military capabilities, in particular artillery and, possibly, ballistic missiles.

As for Iran, then he has been building an anti-Western policy for many years. Back in 2022, when this country provided Russia with unmanned aerial vehicles, it became clear that the next ones could be ballistic missiles that Iran has in its arsenal and which it itself produces.

It cannot be ruled out that this could happen in the near future. Unfortunately, this was the case with the Shaheds. There is already information that the arrivals of Iranian “Shaheds”, as well as North Korean artillery shells, are noticed on the battlefield. Obviously, this trend will continue and we will see even more different kinds of such “gifts” from regimes friendly to the Kremlin, said Stanislav Zhelikhovsky.

In this situation, China plays an important role role, because it is he who enables the DPRK to transfer weapons. Beijing can also directly provide dual-use products. Even now there are calls to strengthen sanctions, in particular against those who help Russia circumvent them.

It should be made impossible for Vladimir Putin to receive weapons, including those with smuggled components. It is clear that a lot of things come from China and North Korea, which is one of those countries that is best able to circumvent sanctions and counterfeit various kinds of components. – noted the international affairs expert.

Consequently, the West is likely to increase pressure on these regimes. But we must take into account that restrictions can only temporarily suspend supplies, because Russia is quickly finding different ways to circumvent them. To do this, new countries are attracted.

How North Korea helps Russia

• White House spokesman John Kirby said on January 4 that Russia attacked Ukraine with ballistic missiles that were provided to it by the DPRK. According to him, they were first used during an attack on December 30, 2023, when a rocket fell in the Zaporozhye region. Such missiles are capable of reaching targets at a distance of approximately 900 kilometers. In return, the DPRK may ask Russia for fighter jets and military technology.
• The issue of ballistic missiles allegedly coming from the DPRK to Russia is planned to be discussed during a meeting of the UN Security Council. It will take place on January 10. The United States stated that it has new information about the weapons that Russia receives from third countries. It was also reported that on January 2, the aggressor country again fired missiles at Ukraine, which were provided to it by the DPRK.
• The Institute for the Study of War noted that Russia is seeking to obtain more ballistic missiles from -abroad, because he considers them more effective for attacks on Ukraine. The occupiers are using short-range missiles against cities that border the front line. So the Ukrainian military only has a few minutes to intercept them. According to analysts, Russia on its own will not be able to produce missiles in the quantity it needs.