North Korea is now believed to be supplying up to 40% of Russia’s battlefield ammunition, according to Ukrainian military intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov. The continued arms shipments include millions of artillery shells, missiles, and other weaponry, fueling Russia’s war effort in Ukraine.
South Korea’s Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) revealed in response to a parliamentary inquiry that Pyongyang has shipped over 28,000 containers of munitions to Russia. When converted, these shipments could amount to more than 12 million rounds of 152mm artillery shells.
“North Korea is continuing to supply weapons to Russia,” the DIA said in a statement to lawmaker Kang Daeshik. “Our military is constantly reassessing the scale of North Korea’s weapons support to Russia in coordination with relevant agencies and allied nations.”
Since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, North Korea has reportedly expanded its support to include not only artillery shells but also ballistic missiles, self-propelled guns, and possibly combat personnel, according to multiple intelligence sources.
In an interview with Bloomberg News, Budanov said the North Korean weapons being used by Russia are “good weapons,” capable of impacting the battlefield. In exchange, Moscow is believed to be providing Pyongyang with cash, food aid, and advanced technology, further strengthening ties between the two isolated regimes.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov recently visited Pyongyang and praised North Korea for its “clear support” of Russia’s war and leadership. The deepening military cooperation between the two countries comes as both face heavy international sanctions and mounting global condemnation.
As the war in Ukraine drags on, experts warn that North Korea’s growing role as an arms supplier could further destabilize regional security and prolong the conflict.
