Russian nationals with ties to the mercenary Wagner Group conspired with North Korean officials in Syria to orchestrate weapons transfers, according to information in a new U.N. report.

Pavel Shevelin and Valeriy Chekalov organized the operation to smuggle North Korean arms to Russia with the help of DPRK officials in Damascus from 2022-2023, an unnamed member state told the U.N. Panel of Experts.

Rim Yong Hyok, an executive at the DPRK’s Korea Mining Development and Trading Corporation, was also involved in the operation that lasted at least until Oct. 2023, the member state reported. 

Approached about the claims, Russian