A British think tank Rusi has revealed that a Russian cargo ship, the Angara, has completed at least eleven transports between ports in North Korea and Russia since August 2023. Satellite images suggest that the vessel may have been transporting weapons from North Korea to Russia. The ship’s movements have been tracked by Rusi using open-source data, and the US has raised concerns with Chinese authorities about its presence in a Chinese port amid ongoing tensions with Russia.
The United States imposed sanctions on the Angara in May 2022, and since August 2023, it has been engaged in transport activities between North Korean and Russian ports. The ship’s transponder was briefly switched on as it traveled through the Korean Strait towards China but was turned off during its stay there. After China, the ship stopped shipping activities.
The Chinese embassy in Washington expressed opposition to unilateral sanctions but stated that it was not informed about the details of the Angara. China’s Foreign Ministry also denied having any information on the matter, along with the Russian Foreign Ministry and the Zhoushan Xinya Shipyard where the vessel underwent repairs or maintenance prior to its stoppage of shipping activities.
Efforts by Ukraine and its allies to disrupt military and economic support to Russia through sanctions have been ongoing. Previous satellite images have shown another gunship named Lady R moving between North Korea and Russia. The international community continues to monitor these activities closely.