Ukraine: North Korea Supplies Up to 40% of Russia's Artillery Shells... Military Cooperation Becoming Systematic

Analysis shows that up to 40% of the artillery shells used by the Russian military in the war against Ukraine are being supplied by North Korea.

Yonhap News Agency

On July 8 (local time), Ukrainian media outlet Kyiv Post reported, based on a response from the Ukrainian Defense Intelligence (HUR), that North Korea is supplying 25% to 40% of Russia's artillery ammunition needs.

According to HUR, since 2023, North Korea has transferred millions of rounds of ammunition, ballistic missiles, and hundreds of artillery systems to Russia.

Specifically, more than 100 KN-23 and KN-24 ballistic missiles, along with their launchers, have been provided. Of these, at least 80 are believed to have already been used.

Additionally, over 600 pieces of various artillery equipment have been delivered to Russia. This includes the M-1989 Koksan 170mm self-propelled gun, the M-1991 240mm multiple launch rocket system (MLRS), 107mm Type 63 rocket launchers, self-propelled anti-tank missile systems, D-74 122mm towed guns, and Type 76 140mm mortars.

Furthermore, more than 7 million rounds of ammunition have been supplied, including mortar shells ranging from 82mm to 240mm, artillery shells, tank shells, rockets, and anti-tank guided missiles.

HUR assessed that North Korea's defense industry can produce 1 million to 2 million shells annually, with a minimum monthly production capacity of 30,000 to 50,000 rounds. HUR explained, "If North Korea makes a political decision, a significant portion of its production could be supplied to Russia."

HUR also stated that the scale and regularity of these supplies demonstrate that military-technical cooperation between the two countries has reached a 'systematic' level. However, it added that there is no evidence to suggest that advanced North Korean components are being used in Russia's drone or missile system production processes.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.