Russia's ambassador to North Korea says his country plans to continuously expand shipment of rail cargo with Pyongyang.

In an interview with Russia's RBC news agency on Thursday, Aleksandr Matsegora said that rail transport between the two sides, which resumed on November 1, is far from brisk, but that Russia intends to increase its frequency.

The ambassador said that Russia’s shipments to the North by rail include medicine, flour, cooking oil and live animals. Such items are not included in the list of sanctions by the United Nations and the international community at large.

Immediately after the rail trade resumed in November, North Korea brought in 30 purebred horses from Russia.

In the interview, the envoy also thoroughly refuted claims that the North provided arms to the Russian paramilitary organization, Wagner Group, saying that Russia is able to handle its special military operations in Ukraine without resorting to arms procurement from North Korea.