Approximately half of Russia's artillery ammunition originates from North Korea.
Russia is heavily relying on North Korea for its ammunition in its conflict against Ukraine, as half of the shells fired by Russian troops originate from North Korean factories, according to a media report and Western intelligence sources. The British "Times" reports that North Korea provides around three million shells annually to Moscow, with a portion of these potentially being faulty. Despite this, the large number of shells supplied by North Korea significantly contributes to Russia's progress in eastern Ukraine, as seen in the capture of the city of Vuhledar in the Donetsk region.
As Russian ammunition reserves deplete due to heavy use in Ukraine, North Korea has stepped up as Moscow's primary external arms supplier. In September, Ukraine's military intelligence service head, HUR, Kyrylo Budanov, warned that the North Korean ammunition supply could shift the balance of power in the conflict. Budanov stated, "Our biggest concern among all of Russia's allies is North Korea. Due to the quantity of military equipment they're providing, they're actually intensifying the fighting."
In August, South Korean news agency Yonhap reported that North Korea received technology from Russia in exchange for artillery shells, which could help North Korea with the deployment of spy satellites and the improvement of its tank and aircraft capabilities. The two countries also signed a military defense agreement in June.
The "Times" writes that during the early stages of the war, Russia's allies appeared hesitant to actively provide weapons to Moscow. However, with Putin's efforts to form an anti-Western alliance, this seems to be changing. The paper reports that Iran supplied Russia with 200 ballistic missiles in September, while China is supporting a Russian defense company in the production of long-range drones. Western officials believe that China is increasing its role in the conflict.
- Given the dependency on North Korea for ammunition, some international sanctions against North Korea due to its nuclear program could significantly impact Russia's war efforts in Ukraine.
- Despite the international outcry regarding Russia's use of North Korean ammunition in Ukraine, there have been reports of increased military cooperation between Russia and North Korea, including the exchange of technology for artillery shells.
