Russia denies getting artillery shells from North Korea

By Elena Teslova

MOSCOW (AA) - Russia on Wednesday denied US claims that Moscow was acquiring artillery shells from North Korea.

"No clear evidence for these statements was presented and could not be, because everything said by American representatives is a lie from beginning to end," Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said at a press briefing in Moscow.

Zakharova accused the US of looking for "an excuse" to impose new sanctions on Pyongyang after a senior American official alleged last week that North Korea was secretly providing Russia with artillery shells in its war against Ukraine.

"Our information indicates that the DPRK (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) is covertly supplying Russia's war in Ukraine with a significant number of artillery shells," US National Security Council Coordinator for Strategic Communications John Kirby told reporters.

The Russian spokeswoman's comments followed similar a rebuke from North Korea, which on Tuesday also rejected the US allegations, calling them a "hostile attempt" to tarnish its image.

In a statement, North Korea's Defense Ministry stressed that it has never had any arms agreements with Russia, nor any future plans for any such deal.