of arms to U.S.-allied Kurdish forces in Syria , and an increase in the quantity and quality of weapons supplied to opposition fighters in Aleppo and elsewhere , were deferred until later , officials said . U.S. military action to stop Syrian and Russian bombing of civilians was even further down the list of possibilities . Another senior official dismissed what he called Moscow ’s “ yard sale approach ” of displaying all available systems to attract potential purchasers , and said last month ’s S-300 deployment did not much change Russian capabilities from where they have been over the past year .
But it will be too late for at least 23 men , women and children who have already starved to death , while photos show emaciated people resorting to eating leaves and grass in desperate attempts to stay alive . Madaya , a former holiday resort in mountains near the Lebanese border , has been under siege by the Syrian army and allies from the Lebanese Hezbollah militia for six months . Around 40,000 people remain trapped and reliant on next week ’s shipmentmovement.transportartifact.disperseseparateof food and medical supplies . Weakened , cold and starving to death in Syrian town As part of the pact , aid will also be allowed into the nearby town of Zabadani , which is also under siege , and Kefraya and Fua - two villages in Idlib province that have been surrounded by Islamist rebels since March .
Polar bear hunting is illegal in Russia , so shooting the bears was n't an option . " We had to stop some of the meteorological observations , " he said . He appealed for a new shipmentmovement.transportartifact.bringcarryunloadof flares to be sent , somehow , to the distant outpost . The next supply ship was n't scheduled to visit the island for another month . The head of the Sevgidromet State Monitoring Network , which owns the station , told TASS it would make sure the supply ship is stocked with new dogs as well as flares , but that it was n't sure if it would be possible to send any supplies sooner .
It remains unclear if the Obama administration ’s hold will affect a tranche of cluster bombs poised for shipment to Saudi Arabia , or simply all future requests . The United States concluded a contract for the manufacture of 1,300 CBU-105 weapons to Saudi Arabia in 2013 . The final shipmentmovement.transportartifact.disperseseparateof such weapons can take years to complete , but U.S. officials have repeatedly refused to clarify if the order ’s final tranche was delivered . “ Textron Systems does not comment on delivery dates with our customers , ” said Matthew Colpitts , a spokesman for Textron Systems . The Saudi Embassy in Washington did not respond to a request for comment .
This article was originally published by EurasiaNet.org . Russia has announced the details of a new shipmentmovement.transportperson.disperseseparateof arms it is sending to Armenia , a relatively rare move likely connected with Russia 's ongoing tension with Turkey . Last week , the Russian government announced that it would be providing Armenia with a $ 200 million credit to buy equipment including multiple - launch rocket systems , anti - tank missiles , handheld antiaircraft missiles and upgrades to tanks . The credit was announced last year , as an apparent concession by Russia amid large - scale street protests in Armenia against the country 's Russian - owned electricity company .
Several officials spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss Russian capabilities and recent high - level White House meetings on Syria , Iraq and the Islamic State , including a Friday gathering of the National Security Council chaired by President Obama . The NSC session largely focused on the Mosul offensive begun against the Islamic State this week , and an upcoming operation against the militants in the city of Raqqa , their Syrian headquarters . Consideration of other alternatives , including the shipmentmovement.transportartifact.fallof arms to U.S.-allied Kurdish forces in Syria , and an increase in the quantity and quality of weapons supplied to opposition fighters in Aleppo and elsewhere , were deferred until later , officials said . U.S. military action to stop Syrian and Russian bombing of civilians was even further down the list of possibilities . Another senior official dismissed what he called Moscow ’s “ yard sale approach ” of displaying all available systems to attract potential purchasers , and said last month ’s S-300 deployment did not much change Russian capabilities from where they have been over the past year .
Russia has decided to freeze its shipmentmovement.transportperson.disperseseparateof S-300 anti - aircraft missile system to Iran , Kuwaiti newspaper Al - Jarida reported on Saturday . Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter The paper quotes a highly reliable source as saying that Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered to suspend delivery of the advanced aerial defense system because Iran failed to lived up to its promise not deliver advanced weaponry to the Lebanese terrorist organization Hezbollah .
But it just bought a bunch of American crude . A ship carrying half a million barrels of oil that was pumped in the U.S. docked at a terminal owned by Venezuela last week , according to oil data research firm ClipperData . The shipmentmovement.transportartifact.bringcarryunloadwas sent to a facility located on the Dutch island of Curacao in the Caribbean . The fact that Venezuela is importing American oil is raising eyebrows because Venezuela has 298 billion barrels of proven oil reserves , according to the Energy Information Administration . That 's more than Saudi Arabia , Russia or Iran and eight times the reserves of the United States .
The first U.S. LNG shipment will soon arrive in Europe , marking a new era for energy on the continent . Cheniere Energy ’s newly completed Sabine Pass facility on the U.S. Gulf Coast recently sent a shipmentmovement.transportartifact.disperseseparateof American liquefied natural gas , which should arrive in Portugal within a few days . “ LNG coming out of the U.S. is probably the single most important thing that will transform the future LNG market , ” Melissa Stark , energy managing director at Accenture , told Bloomberg . “ It heralds the arrival of a global market . ”
The first U.S. LNG shipment will soon arrive in Europe , marking a new era for energy on the continent . Cheniere Energy ’s newly completed Sabine Pass facility on the U.S. Gulf Coast recently sent a shipmentmovement.transportartifact.bringcarryunloadof American liquefied natural gas , which should arrive in Portugal within a few days . “ LNG coming out of the U.S. is probably the single most important thing that will transform the future LNG market , ” Melissa Stark , energy managing director at Accenture , told Bloomberg . “ It heralds the arrival of a global market . ”
Moore believes we do not fully comprehend the damage caused by plastic pollution , largely as the gyres where it collects have been ignored . " The gyres are 40 % of the world ocean -- one third of the planet , " says Moore . " But these areas are not part of any exclusive economic zone , they are not used for the shipmentmovement.transportperson.disperseseparateof goods , they are not harvested for marine resources , and their welfare is no one 's concern ... I 'm convinced we have n't scraped the surface of the damage being done . " From his own research , the volume of plastic has tripled in the gyres since the turn of the century , and plastic is disproportionately consumed by fish at the bottom of food chains , leading to rapid and deadly proliferation .
But it will be too late for at least 23 men , women and children who have already starved to death , while photos show emaciated people resorting to eating leaves and grass in desperate attempts to stay alive . Madaya , a former holiday resort in mountains near the Lebanese border , has been under siege by the Syrian army and allies from the Lebanese Hezbollah militia for six months . Around 40,000 people remain trapped and reliant on next week ’s shipmentmovement.transportartifact.bringcarryunloadof food and medical supplies . Weakened , cold and starving to death in Syrian town As part of the pact , aid will also be allowed into the nearby town of Zabadani , which is also under siege , and Kefraya and Fua - two villages in Idlib province that have been surrounded by Islamist rebels since March .
With the handover of uranium complete , Iran may now be only weeks away from receiving what it wanted out of the deal -- about $ 100 billion worth of economic sanctions lifted , which will allow Tehran to re - enter the global financial system and sell crude oil on world markets . " Implementation Day will come when the International Atomic Energy Agency ( IAEA ) verifies that Iran has completed all of these nuclear commitments , which increase Iran 's breakout time to obtain enough nuclear material for a weapon to one year , up from less than 90 days before the JCPOA , " Kerry added . " The shipmentmovement.transportartifact.natoday more than triples our previous 2 - 3 month breakout timeline for Iran to acquire enough weapons grade uranium for one weapon . " Kerry also thanked the governments of Russia , Kazakhstan , Norway and other nations who helped export the uranium . The IAEA now must verify that Iran has less than 300 kilograms of enriched uranium stockpiled -- the threshold agreed to by all parties to the accord .
Several officials spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss Russian capabilities and recent high - level White House meetings on Syria , Iraq and the Islamic State , including a Friday gathering of the National Security Council chaired by President Obama . The NSC session largely focused on the Mosul offensive begun against the Islamic State this week , and an upcoming operation against the militants in the city of Raqqa , their Syrian headquarters . Consideration of other alternatives , including the shipmentmovement.transportartifact.naof arms to U.S.-allied Kurdish forces in Syria , and an increase in the quantity and quality of weapons supplied to opposition fighters in Aleppo and elsewhere , were deferred until later , officials said . U.S. military action to stop Syrian and Russian bombing of civilians was even further down the list of possibilities . Another senior official dismissed what he called Moscow ’s “ yard sale approach ” of displaying all available systems to attract potential purchasers , and said last month ’s S-300 deployment did not much change Russian capabilities from where they have been over the past year .
Dependent almost entirely on foreign aid , Afghan security forces are struggling to secure the country amid a rising insurgency . As the NATO - led coalition 's military presence dwindled last year , Afghan leaders reached out to Moscow , which fought a war of its own in Afghanistan during the 1980s , for more Russian - made weapons , including small arms , artillery and attack helicopters . " This donation represents a deep friendship between two nations , " Afghan national security adviser Hanif Atmar said at an event marking delivery of the arms shipmentmovement.transportartifact.disperseseparate. " This important donation is from an important friend of Afghanistan in a crucial time for Afghanistan and the region . " The guns and ammunition were provided under an existing security agreement between the two countries , he added .
It remains unclear if the Obama administration ’s hold will affect a tranche of cluster bombs poised for shipment to Saudi Arabia , or simply all future requests . The United States concluded a contract for the manufacture of 1,300 CBU-105 weapons to Saudi Arabia in 2013 . The final shipmentmovement.transportartifact.fallof such weapons can take years to complete , but U.S. officials have repeatedly refused to clarify if the order ’s final tranche was delivered . “ Textron Systems does not comment on delivery dates with our customers , ” said Matthew Colpitts , a spokesman for Textron Systems . The Saudi Embassy in Washington did not respond to a request for comment .
Moore believes we do not fully comprehend the damage caused by plastic pollution , largely as the gyres where it collects have been ignored . " The gyres are 40 % of the world ocean -- one third of the planet , " says Moore . " But these areas are not part of any exclusive economic zone , they are not used for the shipmentmovement.transportartifact.bringcarryunloadof goods , they are not harvested for marine resources , and their welfare is no one 's concern ... I 'm convinced we have n't scraped the surface of the damage being done . " From his own research , the volume of plastic has tripled in the gyres since the turn of the century , and plastic is disproportionately consumed by fish at the bottom of food chains , leading to rapid and deadly proliferation .
The treaty with Iran will remain contentious and uncertain for some time . The deal may lead to a more aggressive and threatening Iran as showcased by its expanding ballistic missile program . Yet Iran has also taken steps to abide by the treaty , including its shipmentmovement.transportartifact.disperseseparateto Russia of nearly all of its stockpile of low - enriched uranium . The implementation of the treaty later this year , which appears more likely , may gradually coax Iran back into the circle of nations and lead to significant changes in U.S. diplomacy and national security in the Middle East and more broadly . Obama drew the enmity of labor for winning fast - track trade authority on the Trans - Pacific Partnership , but he may use it this year to help reestablish the U.S. as a dominant power in the Pacific at a time of growing Chinese sway .
Polar bear hunting is illegal in Russia , so shooting the bears was n't an option . " We had to stop some of the meteorological observations , " he said . He appealed for a new shipmentmovement.transportperson.disperseseparateof flares to be sent , somehow , to the distant outpost . The next supply ship was n't scheduled to visit the island for another month . The head of the Sevgidromet State Monitoring Network , which owns the station , told TASS it would make sure the supply ship is stocked with new dogs as well as flares , but that it was n't sure if it would be possible to send any supplies sooner .
Each were in turn arrested and jailed for their expose . Recently , several were released by order of the Turkish Judicial system , at which time the President of Turkey responded with a statement that he does not recognize the authority of the Turkish Justice Department , Judges or court rulings . Secretary of State Hillary Clinton charged her Ambassador to Libya , Chris Stevens , with the job of securing the shipmentmovement.transportartifact.bringcarryunloadof weapons seized by the US government , which were formerly the property of the government of Libya . Once USA and NATO had completed the disposing of the former leader of Libya , Muamar Qadafi , his government ’s weapons became official US property . Clinton ordered the shipments of weapons to go from Benghazi to Iskenderun , Turkey .
The first U.S. LNG shipment will soon arrive in Europe , marking a new era for energy on the continent . Cheniere Energy ’s newly completed Sabine Pass facility on the U.S. Gulf Coast recently sent a shipmentmovement.transportartifact.naof American liquefied natural gas , which should arrive in Portugal within a few days . “ LNG coming out of the U.S. is probably the single most important thing that will transform the future LNG market , ” Melissa Stark , energy managing director at Accenture , told Bloomberg . “ It heralds the arrival of a global market . ”
But even Kissinger , in his op - ed , called it “ incompatible with the rules of the existing world order for Russia to annex Crimea . ” That is the clear position not just of the Obama administration , but also of the Republican Party platform approved in Cleveland at last week ’s GOP convention . While Trump officials reportedly blocked a move to add language calling for the U.S. shipmentmovement.transportartifact.disperseseparateof weapons to Ukraine ’s government , the platform does include a firm passage about Putin ’s aggression there . “ We support maintaining and , if warranted , increasing sanctions , together with our allies , against Russia unless and until Ukraine ’s sovereignty and territorial integrity are fully restored , ” the platform states . Trump ’s comments are also at odds with some of his key allies .
Russia has decided to freeze its shipmentmovement.transportartifact.naof S-300 anti - aircraft missile system to Iran , Kuwaiti newspaper Al - Jarida reported on Saturday . Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter The paper quotes a highly reliable source as saying that Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered to suspend delivery of the advanced aerial defense system because Iran failed to lived up to its promise not deliver advanced weaponry to the Lebanese terrorist organization Hezbollah .
Italian police arrested Zhukov at Olbia airport in Sardinia in 2001 as he was heading to his villa in nearby Porto Cervo . Detectives accused him of being part of a ring that tried to smuggle weapons from Ukraine and Belarus to the former Yugoslavia in 1994 . The alleged shipmentmovement.transportartifact.na, apparently destined for Venice and hidden aboard the Jadran Express container vessel , was said to have included grenades , anti - tank weapons and 30,0000 Kalashnikovs . While Zhukov spent six months in prison in Turin , he was interviewed by Belgian police and later acquitted . He told Russian newspaper Kommersant : “ I am completely innocent of arms dealing . ” The court held that the underlying facts “ did not exist ” .
There is some speculation that Israel could be open to increased Russian involvement on the Palestinian track in addition to its work with the Quartet . “We speak for overwhelming and just settlement of the Palestinian - Israeli conflict , ” Putin said . “ Active joint efforts , including in the framework of the Middle East Quartet , are in demand now . “Russia is ready to take part in that work , ” he added according to Tass . On Wednesday Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov plans to meet with Palestinian Authority Foreign Minister Riad al - Malki , who will also be visiting Moscow , just as Netanyahu gets ready to fly back to Jerusalem . Regional conflicts , however , were not the only item on Netanyahu and Putin ’s agenda . They also discussed increased energy cooperation , with Netanyahu assuring Putin that no legal limitations would be placed on Russian firms wanting to participate in Israeli energy projects . But the two countries remain at odds over Moscow ’s ties with Tehran including the shipmentmovement.transportperson.disperseseparateof sophisticated weaponry to Iran , a country which has pledged to annihilate the Jewish state . Israel is particularly concerned that Iran is gaining a foothold in Syria . In an interview with the Russian news agency Interfax , Netanyahu said , “ We have made a point of staying out of the Syrian conflict , with two exceptions : treating wounded Syrians on a humanitarian basis and preventing Iran from using Syria to attack Israel or to transfer sophisticated weapons to Hezbollah . We don‘t know what will come of Syria , but in any arrangement , it can not be an Iranian base for terrorism and aggression . ”Earlier in the day Netanyahu laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Lone Soldier and helped inaugurate an exhibit at Moscow ’s main Manege exhibition hall , “ Open a Door to Israel , ” on innovation and technology . Among those presenting made - in Israel products is a settler delegation organized by the Council of Jewish Communities of Judea and Samaria .
This article was originally published by EurasiaNet.org . Russia has announced the details of a new shipmentmovement.transportartifact.bringcarryunloadof arms it is sending to Armenia , a relatively rare move likely connected with Russia 's ongoing tension with Turkey . Last week , the Russian government announced that it would be providing Armenia with a $ 200 million credit to buy equipment including multiple - launch rocket systems , anti - tank missiles , handheld antiaircraft missiles and upgrades to tanks . The credit was announced last year , as an apparent concession by Russia amid large - scale street protests in Armenia against the country 's Russian - owned electricity company .
This article was originally published by EurasiaNet.org . Russia has announced the details of a new shipmentmovement.transportartifact.disperseseparateof arms it is sending to Armenia , a relatively rare move likely connected with Russia 's ongoing tension with Turkey . Last week , the Russian government announced that it would be providing Armenia with a $ 200 million credit to buy equipment including multiple - launch rocket systems , anti - tank missiles , handheld antiaircraft missiles and upgrades to tanks . The credit was announced last year , as an apparent concession by Russia amid large - scale street protests in Armenia against the country 's Russian - owned electricity company .
But it just bought a bunch of American crude . A ship carrying half a million barrels of oil that was pumped in the U.S. docked at a terminal owned by Venezuela last week , according to oil data research firm ClipperData . The shipmentmovement.transportartifact.nawas sent to a facility located on the Dutch island of Curacao in the Caribbean . The fact that Venezuela is importing American oil is raising eyebrows because Venezuela has 298 billion barrels of proven oil reserves , according to the Energy Information Administration . That 's more than Saudi Arabia , Russia or Iran and eight times the reserves of the United States .
It is the first time Russia has deployed the SA-23 system outside its borders , according to one Western official citing a recent intelligence assessment . The missiles and associated components are still in their crates and are not yet operational , according to the officials . The U.S. intelligence community has been observing the shipmentmovement.transportartifact.disperseseparateof the SA-23 inside Russia in recent weeks , according to one official . While the purpose is not clear , one US official asked sarcastically , “ Nusra does n’t have an air force do they ? ” speaking about the Al Qaeda - linked group in Syria . The Islamic State also does not fly any manned aircraft or possess cruise missiles , in a sign that Russia is directing its actions to protect itself against any potential attack from the United States or its allies .
It is the first time Russia has deployed the SA-23 system outside its borders , according to one Western official citing a recent intelligence assessment . The missiles and associated components are still in their crates and are not yet operational , according to the officials . The U.S. intelligence community has been observing the shipmentmovement.transportperson.disperseseparateof the SA-23 inside Russia in recent weeks , according to one official . While the purpose is not clear , one US official asked sarcastically , “ Nusra does n’t have an air force do they ? ” speaking about the Al Qaeda - linked group in Syria . The Islamic State also does not fly any manned aircraft or possess cruise missiles , in a sign that Russia is directing its actions to protect itself against any potential attack from the United States or its allies .
Several officials spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss Russian capabilities and recent high - level White House meetings on Syria , Iraq and the Islamic State , including a Friday gathering of the National Security Council chaired by President Obama . The NSC session largely focused on the Mosul offensive begun against the Islamic State this week , and an upcoming operation against the militants in the city of Raqqa , their Syrian headquarters . Consideration of other alternatives , including the shipmentmovement.transportperson.naof arms to U.S.-allied Kurdish forces in Syria , and an increase in the quantity and quality of weapons supplied to opposition fighters in Aleppo and elsewhere , were deferred until later , officials said . U.S. military action to stop Syrian and Russian bombing of civilians was even further down the list of possibilities . Another senior official dismissed what he called Moscow ’s “ yard sale approach ” of displaying all available systems to attract potential purchasers , and said last month ’s S-300 deployment did not much change Russian capabilities from where they have been over the past year .
Dependent almost entirely on foreign aid , Afghan security forces are struggling to secure the country amid a rising insurgency . As the NATO - led coalition 's military presence dwindled last year , Afghan leaders reached out to Moscow , which fought a war of its own in Afghanistan during the 1980s , for more Russian - made weapons , including small arms , artillery and attack helicopters . " This donation represents a deep friendship between two nations , " Afghan national security adviser Hanif Atmar said at an event marking delivery of the arms shipmentmovement.transportartifact.na. " This important donation is from an important friend of Afghanistan in a crucial time for Afghanistan and the region . " The guns and ammunition were provided under an existing security agreement between the two countries , he added .
Polar bear hunting is illegal in Russia , so shooting the bears was n't an option . " We had to stop some of the meteorological observations , " he said . He appealed for a new shipmentmovement.transportartifact.disperseseparateof flares to be sent , somehow , to the distant outpost . The next supply ship was n't scheduled to visit the island for another month . The head of the Sevgidromet State Monitoring Network , which owns the station , told TASS it would make sure the supply ship is stocked with new dogs as well as flares , but that it was n't sure if it would be possible to send any supplies sooner .
Oil prices have dropped below $ 30 a barrel in recent months , a fall of 70 percent since 2014 . Al Jazeera 's Bernard Smith , reporting from Doha , said that the challenge would be to get other producing countries , including Iran , to freeze production as well . Iran 's IRNA news agency said on Sunday the country had exported its first crude shipmentmovement.transportartifact.disperseseparateto Europe since it reached a landmark deal last year with world powers . IRNA quoted Rokneddin Javadi , Iran 's deputy oil minister , as saying the shipment , the first in five years , marked " a new chapter " in Iran 's oil industry . Javadi said Iran had already reached an agreement to export oil to France , Russia and Spain .
Oil prices have dropped below $ 30 a barrel in recent months , a fall of 70 percent since 2014 . Al Jazeera 's Bernard Smith , reporting from Doha , said that the challenge would be to get other producing countries , including Iran , to freeze production as well . Iran 's IRNA news agency said on Sunday the country had exported its first crude shipmentmovement.transportartifact.nato Europe since it reached a landmark deal last year with world powers . IRNA quoted Rokneddin Javadi , Iran 's deputy oil minister , as saying the shipment , the first in five years , marked " a new chapter " in Iran 's oil industry . Javadi said Iran had already reached an agreement to export oil to France , Russia and Spain .
The Russian embassy in Pyongyang made the announcement this week that 2,394 tons of flour and other food items have been sent to the North Korean port city of Chongjin , Sputnik news agency reported Thursday . The flour was sent through the United Nations World Food Program and was made possible with a Russian donation , according to South Korean news agency Yonhap . This is the second time in 2016 Russia has delivered a shipmentmovement.transportperson.disperseseparate. In March , Moscow provided funds for the delivery of 2,500 tons of flour to North Korea . The flour is to be used to produce nutritious biscuits and cereals that can be distributed to child daycare centers in North Hamgyong and Kangwon provinces , according to the report .
Oil prices have dropped below $ 30 a barrel in recent months , a fall of 70 percent since 2014 . Al Jazeera 's Bernard Smith , reporting from Doha , said that the challenge would be to get other producing countries , including Iran , to freeze production as well . Iran 's IRNA news agency said on Sunday the country had exported its first crude shipmentmovement.transportperson.disperseseparateto Europe since it reached a landmark deal last year with world powers . IRNA quoted Rokneddin Javadi , Iran 's deputy oil minister , as saying the shipment , the first in five years , marked " a new chapter " in Iran 's oil industry . Javadi said Iran had already reached an agreement to export oil to France , Russia and Spain .
Oil prices have dropped below $ 30 a barrel in recent months , a fall of 70 percent since 2014 . Al Jazeera 's Bernard Smith , reporting from Doha , said that the challenge would be to get other producing countries , including Iran , to freeze production as well . Iran 's IRNA news agency said on Sunday the country had exported its first crude shipmentmovement.transportartifact.fallto Europe since it reached a landmark deal last year with world powers . IRNA quoted Rokneddin Javadi , Iran 's deputy oil minister , as saying the shipment , the first in five years , marked " a new chapter " in Iran 's oil industry . Javadi said Iran had already reached an agreement to export oil to France , Russia and Spain .
Al Jazeera 's Bernard Smith , reporting from Doha , said that the challenge would be to get other producing countries , including Iran , to freeze production as well . Iran 's IRNA news agency said on Sunday the country had exported its first crude shipment to Europe since it reached a landmark deal last year with world powers . IRNA quoted Rokneddin Javadi , Iran 's deputy oil minister , as saying the shipmentmovement.transportperson.na, the first in five years , marked " a new chapter " in Iran 's oil industry . Javadi said Iran had already reached an agreement to export oil to France , Russia and Spain . Iran said in January that it planned to add to its production , which stands at 3.1 million barrels per day ( bpd ) despite the drop in price , and should not be blamed for further price falls .
The Russian embassy in Pyongyang made the announcement this week that 2,394 tons of flour and other food items have been sent to the North Korean port city of Chongjin , Sputnik news agency reported Thursday . The flour was sent through the United Nations World Food Program and was made possible with a Russian donation , according to South Korean news agency Yonhap . This is the second time in 2016 Russia has delivered a shipmentmovement.transportartifact.na. In March , Moscow provided funds for the delivery of 2,500 tons of flour to North Korea . The flour is to be used to produce nutritious biscuits and cereals that can be distributed to child daycare centers in North Hamgyong and Kangwon provinces , according to the report .