A UK-based research group has revealed that Russia has provided North Korea with more than one million barrels of oil since March 2024. Satellite imagery analyzed by the Open Source Centre indicates that North Korean tankers have made 43 trips to Russia's Far East, violating United Nations sanctions.

Experts suggest that this oil is payment for weapons and troops sent by North Korea to support Russia's war in Ukraine. UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy described this exchange as a "direct threat" to security in Europe, the Korean Peninsula, and the Indo-Pacific.

The imagery shows tankers arriving empty at Russia's Vostochny Port and leaving nearly full. Researchers estimate the shipments exceed North Korea's annual oil cap set by the UN, which limits the country to 500,000 barrels per year. This steady supply gives Pyongyang a level of stability unseen since sanctions began in 2017.

The shipments coincide with reports of thousands of North Korean troops fighting in Russia. While Russia officially denies these transfers, former UN sanctions monitors have expressed concern over the growing alliance between Moscow and Pyongyang.

Analysts warn that these transfers mark a "new level of contempt" for sanctions. Russia dismantled the UN panel monitoring such violations in March, further enabling these covert exchanges.

As ties deepen, experts fear Russia could supply Pyongyang with military technology, enhancing its nuclear and missile capabilities. South Korea has vowed to respond firmly, warning that the partnership between Russia and North Korea poses a significant global threat.