(PatriotsUnited.org) – Russia has apparently left the United States government in shock as it continues to seal additional global alliances, including with the regimes in China, Iran, and North Korea. Last Wednesday Russian President Vladimir Putin dominated headlines after touching down in Pyongyang to sign a mutual defense treaty and strategic partnership deal with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
The announcement comes on the back of soaring tensions on the Korean peninsula. This latest development has left many global observers reeling at how far the alliance could go, and if it could even lead to joint military operations. U.S. and South Korean officials have also publicly speculated that Russia could be offering North Korea space-related and other technology in exchange for short-range ballistic missiles and artillery ammunition for its war in Ukraine. Washington has also claimed Pyongyang has been transporting labor to Russian-occupied Eastern Ukraine to help the latter with weapons manufacturing.
The alliance with China is another critical concern for the U.S. intelligence community. American officials believe that the Chinese Communist Party has significantly bolstered the Russian military industry by providing dual-use equipment that includes machine tools, microelectronics, optics for tanks and armored vehicles, and turbo engines for cruise missiles. Additionally, China has reportedly helped Moscow improve satellite and other space-based technologies in Ukraine. While China has been cautious in avoiding direct weapon supplies, U.S. officials warn that they are “very close to the line.”
The role of Tehran also continues to complicate international tensions. Russia recently set up a factory expected to build thousands of Iranian-designed Shahed-136 drones, marking yet another step in their closing links. This latest project will bolster Moscow’s military power while allowing Iran to test its weaponry away from its own neighborhood. According to the Pentagon Iran is already Russia’s main weapons supplier.
Addressing a press conference with the U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken last week, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg complained about Russia’s invasion of Ukraine being “propped up” by allies like China who “want to see” the U.S. and NATO fail, which he claims would make the world “more dangerous.” While these alliances do not yet constitute a formal military coalition like NATO, the evolving dynamics pose a significant challenge to U.S. and global security.
Copyright 2024, PatriotsUnited.org
