The Angara, a Russian cargo ship, has been making at least eleven trips between North Korea and Russia since August 2023, according to British think tank Rusi. Satellite images suggest that the vessel may have been transporting weapons from North Korea to Russia. Despite being subject to US sanctions, the ship was observed at China’s Zhoushan Xinya Shipyard for repairs or maintenance prior to its arrival in China.
The Angara’s transponder, which is part of the AIS system that shares navigation and identification information, was briefly switched on as it traveled through the Korean Strait towards China. However, before arriving in China for repairs in February 2023, the ship had docked in North Korean and Russian ports with its transponder off. Afterwards, the ship ceased shipping activities.
The US imposed sanctions on the Angara in May 2022 and since then it has been engaged in transport activities between North Korean and Russian ports. The ship’s movements have been tracked by Rusi using open-source data. The US has raised concerns with Chinese authorities about the Angara’s presence in a Chinese port amid ongoing tensions with Russia.
During his visit to Beijing this month, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is likely to discuss China’s position on supporting Russia amid growing global tensions over Ukraine and other issues. The Chinese embassy in Washington expressed opposition to unilateral sanctions but stated that it was not informed about the details of the Angara. Similarly, China’s Foreign Ministry denied having any information on the matter while Russia also echoed those sentiments.
Efforts by Ukraine and its allies to disrupt military and economic support to Russia through sanctions have been ongoing for some time now. Previous satellite images have shown another gunship named Lady R moving between North Korea and Russia as well. The international community continues to closely monitor these activities as tensions rise around the world.