White House says Russian fuel shipments to North Korea appear to breach UN cap

The White House has said Russia is shipping refined petroleum to North Korea from Port Vostochny at levels that appear to violate the UN cap of 500,000 barrels a year, Reuters reports. National Security spokesman John Kirby said Russia shipped more than 165,000 barrels in March alone and could sustain such deliveries indefinitely given the port's proximity. He linked the shipments to Russia's veto of the renewal of the UN panel monitoring North Korea sanctions. State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said new sanctions designations, coordinated with partners including Australia, the EU, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea and the UK, would be announced this month.

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