According to the White House, North Korea sent more than 1,000 containers of military hardware and ammunition to Russia

The White House revealed on Friday that North Korea has sent Russia more than 1,000 containers filled with military supplies and ammunition for its continuing war in Ukraine. When North Korean leader Kim Jong Un visited Russia last month to meet with President Vladimir Putin and tour important military installations, speculation about North Korea possibly refilling Russia’s depleted munitions stocks from the protracted conflict in Ukraine surfaced.

According to John Kirby, a spokesman for the White House National Security Council, Kim’s goal is to get cutting-edge Russian weaponry in return for the bombs, which would strengthen North Korea’s nuclear program.

The White House also released pictures showing the transfer of these containers onto a ship flying the Russian flag and their subsequent rail journey to southwest Russia. The containers, according to the White House, were sent from Najin, North Korea, to Dunay, Russia, between September 7 and October 1.

The United States has previously charged North Korea of providing Russia with ammunition, artillery rounds, and rockets.

Following his meeting with Putin, Kim demanded last month that nuclear weapons production exponentially expand and that North Korea play a greater role in a coalition of countries against the United States in a “new Cold War,” according to North Korean official media.

Kim reportedly made the remarks at a two-day session of the nation’s rubber-stamp parliament, which modified the constitution to reflect his goal of increasing the nation’s nuclear weapons development, according to the Korean Central News Agency.

Kim and Putin strengthened their “comradely fellowship and friendly ties” when Kim was in Russia, according to North Korean official media.

The two nations claimed to have discussed strengthening their military relations during Kim’s six-day visit to Russia, which was his longest trip abroad as a leader, but they did not divulge any concrete actions. Foreign analysts suspect that the two nations, who are both embroiled in conflicts with the West, were attempting to negotiate military transfers in defiance of decisions made by the U.N. Security Council.