China holds ship in harbor carrying North Korean ammunition to Russia, satellite images show

Satellite images show the Angara cargo ship moored at the Zhoushan Xinya shipyard in China. Photo: Planet Labs PBC/via REUTERS

China provides berth A Russian cargo ship under US sanctions is linked to North Korean arms shipments to Russia, according to satellite imagery.

British think tank Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) said the Russian vessel Angara, which has transported thousands of containers believed to contain North Korean ammunition to Russian ports since August 2023, has been anchored at a Chinese shipyard in the eastern province of Zhejiang since February.

The ship's presence in a Chinese port underscores the challenges facing the United States and its allies as they try to cut off Russia's military and economic support.

As Ukraine comes under renewed Russian attack and faces ammunition shortages, officials The US is issuing increasingly stark warnings about what it says is China helping to rebuild the Russian military after early setbacks in the war in Ukraine.

Such support is expected. will top the agenda this week when US Secretary of State Antony Blinken visits Beijing.

Washington will not «sit on the sidelines»

Curt Campbell, the State Department's second-ranking diplomat, said this month that Washington will not » sit on the sidelines» if Beijing increases its support for Moscow.

A US State Department spokesman said he was aware of «credible open source reports» that the Angara was currently moored at a Chinese port and had raised the matter with Chinese authorities.

«We urge all member states fulfill their obligations under UNSCR 2397,” the official said. said, citing a UN resolution restricting trade with North Korea and requiring UN states to deregister any ships involved in illegal activities.

“When Secretary Blinken meets with his Chinese counterparts this week, he will address a range of issues, including Russia's war against Ukraine and relations between Russia and the DPRK,” the official said, referring to China and North Korea by the initials of their official names.

Satellite images obtained by RUSI in recent months from companies including San Francisco-based Earth imaging company Planet Labs PBC showed the Angara moored at the Zhoushan Xinya Shipyard in Zhejiang. whose website says it is the largest private ship repair yard in China. company.

The ship was identified by a unique Automatic Identification System (AIS) transponder that was briefly turned on, likely for safety reasons, while sailing through a busy section of the Korea Strait en route to China.< /p>

RUSI reported that before arriving in China on February 9, apparently for repairs or maintenance, the Angara was moored in North Korean and Russian ports in January with its transponder turned off. He stopped transmitting again soon after arriving in China.