Violation of UN sanctions: Russian tankers delivered fuel to North Korea?

Russian tankers have delivered fuel to North Korea at least three times in the past months, transshipping cargo at sea onto North Korean ships, thus enabling the economic survival of that communist state, according to two senior sources from Western European security services, reports Reuters, citing HINA.

The sale of oil or oil derivatives from Russia, the world's second largest oil exporter and a member of the United Nations (UN) Security Council with veto power, violates UN sanctions, according to sources.

"Petrochemical products have been transshipped directly from Russian to North Korean ships on several occasions this year in violation of sanctions," a security source told Reuters on condition of anonymity.

Another source also confirmed the existence of fuel trade between Russian and North Korean ships, but pointed out that there is no evidence that the Russian state is involved in the latest transfers.

"There is no evidence that the Russian state supports this, but Russian ships enable North Korea to survive," said another European security source.

Both sources cited naval intelligence and satellite images of ships sailing from Russian Far Eastern ports to the Pacific Ocean, but declined to reveal other details, saying they were classified. It is also not known what amounts of fuel are involved.

The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs rejected these accusations.

The announcement states that Russia fully complies with the sanctions, Ria Novosti reported.

US President Donald Trump criticized China two days ago after it was announced that oil was illegally transferred from Chinese ships to North Korean ships at sea.

On December 22, the UN Security Council tightened sanctions against North Korea by unanimously adopting a new resolution on the delivery of oil and the employment of North Korean workers abroad. It is the ninth series of sanctions initiated by the US, due to North Korea's ballistic and nuclear tests.

Pyongyang has carried out six nuclear tests and several ballistic missile tests since September 2016, which were banned by earlier UN resolutions.

The US has submitted a draft resolution that states a ban on the export of about 90 percent of oil products to North Korea, as well as the return of all North Korean citizens working abroad within 12 months.

The resolution also prohibits the export from North Korea of ​​food products, machinery, electrical equipment, coal, textiles, as well as the raw materials of earth, stone, wood, magnesite, and the import of natural gas in liquid form into North Korea.