U.S. sanctions three Russian entities, one individual for transferring North Korean missiles used against Ukraine

Secretary of State Antony Blinken speaks during a media briefing at the State Department on Aug. 15, 2023, in Washington. [AP/YONHAP]

The United States on Thursday imposed sanctions on three Russian entities and one individual involved in the transfer and testing of North Korean ballistic missiles for Russia’s use against Ukraine.

“The DPRK’s transfer of ballistic missiles to Russia supports Russia’s war of aggression, increases the suffering of the Ukrainian people and undermines the global nonproliferation regime,” U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement released on Thursday, local time, referring to North Korea by the acronym of its full name, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.

“The United States continues to closely monitor any Russian-provided support to the DPRK in return for these weapons and will use all available tools to designate and expose individuals and entities involved in arms transfers between the DPRK and Russia,” the statement continued, adding that it will not “hesitate to take further actions.”

The three entities and one individual on the U.S.-imposed sanctions list include the 224th Flight Unit State Airlines, a state-owned enterprise spun off from Russia’s Air Force; Vladimir Vladimirovich Mikheychik, the General Director of 224th Flight Unit State Airlines; Vladimirovka Advanced Weapons and Research Complex, a Russian military facility involved in the testing of missiles; and Ashuluk Firing Range, a Russian missile testing range, according to the U.S. Department of State’s fact sheet released on Thursday.

This marks the first time that the U.S. imposed sanctions on parties involved in the trading of ballistic missiles between North Korea and Russia.

The Department said that additionally, four aircraft owned by the U.S.-designated Command of the Military Transport Aviation were involved in the transfers of North Korean ballistic missiles, all of which will be identified as blocked property.

The United States, on the same day, condemned the arms transfers between Pyongyang and Moscow, noting that Russia is “flagrantly violating multiple UN Security Council resolutions in its attack on another UN member state.”

State Department Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel made the remarks during a press briefing on Thursday.

Asked if China, which has a close relationship with North Korea and Russia, has a responsibility to help curb North Korea’s provocative actions, Patel said that all countries that have a relationship with North Korea are responsible.

“We have long said that countries that have a relationship with the DPRK, including even Russia in that matter, have a responsibility to help curtail this kind of provocative harmful activity,” Patel said during a press briefing on Thursday,

When asked to comment on Russia’s claim that there is no evidence it used North Korean ballistic missiles against Ukraine, Patel referred to a recent joint statement adopted by the United States and its partners condemning the transfer of ballistic missiles from North Korea to Russia for use against Ukraine.

“It is interesting that the Russian Federation would say that,” he said. “There is a high level of confidence between the United States and other partners who share our concern and condemnation of the transfer of this type of ballistic missiles.”

National Security Advisor for Strategic Communications John Kirby announced earlier that Russia launched missiles provided by North Korea into Ukraine on Dec. 30 and Jan. 2. Russian forces again launched multiple North Korean ballistic missiles into Ukraine on Jan. 6.

BY CHO JUNG-WOO [cho.jungwoo1@joongang.co.kr]