North Korean artillery now dominates Russia's ammunition supply in war

Details: Written by: Kateryna Hodunova; 15.Apr; Hits: 34

The majority of artillery shells used by Russian forces in Ukraine in 2024 were manufactured in North Korea, according to a joint investigation by Reuters and the Open Source Center (OPS), published on April 15.North Korea has become a key military ally of Russia, supplying artillery shells, missiles, and reportedly even soldiers in exchange for oil products and advanced rocket technology.Internal technical reports from Russia’s Defense Ministry, obtained by investigators, indicate that in some Russian military units, between 75% and 100% of artillery shells are North Korean-made.

The Kyiv Independent

The Kyiv Independent is Ukraine’s fastest-growing English-language media outlet, created in November 2021, just three months before the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Serve as the bridge between Ukraine and the world, delivering reliable news, context, and on-the-ground reporting.

More from the Author

Overall, North Korea is providing roughly half of all artillery shells used by Russian troops, according to Ukraine’s military intelligence agency (HUR), as cited by Reuters.Arms shipments from North Korea to Russia began no later than September 2023, following a July visit to Pyongyang by then–Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, the investigation found.Between September 2023 and March 17, 2025, Russian cargo ships Angara, Maria, Maya-1, and Lady R transported military cargo 64 times from the North Korean port of Rajin to the Russian ports of Danube and Vostochny.According to satellite images, the ships carried at least 15,809 containers in total. Cargoes from North Korea also traveled by the Friendship Bridge railroad across the Tumanna River in Primorye.Deliveries peaked in January 2024, with seven batches per month, and cargo ships are currently transporting about three batches of shells per month, according to the investigation.

Content Original Link:

https://kyivindependent.com/north-korean-artillery-now-dominates-russias-ammunition-supply-in-war-against-ukraine-investigation-says/

Log in to comment

INFO: You are posting the message as a 'Guest'

Name

Message

Enter code

Are you a Fella? Write down the text from above!

NAFO Public Education Forum

The purpose of NAFO-PEF is to engage in identifying and analyzing disinformation, formulating defensive strategies, and crafting proactive measures to counter and minimize its impact.

To support our efforts, you can check out our merchandise available on Buy Me a Coffee and our Bonfire Store. Every purchase directly helps fund the forum’s activities and our ongoing fight against disinformation.

Contact Us