Washington
The United States has accused North Korea of sending ammunition to the Wagner Group, a private Russian military company, to help bolster Russiaâs offensive against Ukraine.
A day after Japanese mediaâs report, White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby on Thursday confirmed the development, citing the US intelligence agencies.
According to the report, North Korea shipped munitions, including artillery shells and rockets, to Russia via train last month.
âWe assess that the amount of material delivered to Wagner will not change battlefield dynamics in Ukraine. But weâre certainly concerned that North Korea is planning to deliver more military equipment,â Kirby said.
The Biden administration said that the sale of arms to private military group violates the UN regulations that ban North Korea from importing or exporting weapons.
But Pyongyang denied having sent arms to Russia, calling the Japanese media reports âbaselessâ. It also slammed the US for sending lethal weapons to Ukraine.
"The Japanese media's false report that the DPRK offered munitions to Russia is the most absurd red herring, which is not worth any comment or interpretation," a ministry spokesperson said in a statement carried by the KCNA, reports Reuters news agency.
"The DPRK remains unchanged in its principled stand on the issue of 'arms transaction' between the DPRK and Russia which has never happened," the North Korean spokesperson said, adding it is the United States that's "bringing bloodshed and destruction to Ukraine by providing it with various kinds of lethal weapons."
The Wagner group is controlled by Yevgeny Prigozhin, a businessman once called "Putin's chef" for his work catering dinners for Vladimir Putin before and after he became the Russian president.
(With inputs from agencies)
WATCH WION LIVE HERE: