A dormant North Korean port near the border with Russia has sprung back to life, fueling what experts say is a burgeoning trade in arms destined for the front lines in Ukraine that is simultaneously bolstering the anemic economy managed by Kim Jong Un.
Satellite imagery taken from October to December shows a steady stream of ships at the Najin port, hundreds of shipping containers being loaded and unloaded, and rail cars ready to transport goods.
The activity appears to have picked up since early October, when the United States accused North Korea of sending munitions to Russia. The White House provided imagery it said showed weapons later being delivered thousands of kilometers away to a depot in the Russian town of Tikhoretsk for use in Ukraine.