Half of Russia’s Artillery Shells Sourced from North Korea, Western Intelligence Indicates

Recent reports from Western intelligence suggest that Russia relies heavily on North Korea for its military supplies, receiving approximately half of its annual artillery shells from the isolated nation. According to The Times, around 1.5 million of the estimated three million artillery shells used by Russia each year are sourced from North Korea.

This dependence reportedly increased following Russian leader Vladimir Putin’s visit to Pyongyang earlier this year, where he established a defense agreement with Kim Jong-un. The intelligence sources indicate that while many of the North Korean shells may be defective or outdated, their sheer volume has allowed Russia to maintain operational effectiveness on the battlefield.

Despite this influx of ammunition, Russia is experiencing significant losses in Ukraine, with reports suggesting up to 1,200 military personnel casualties per day, including 480 specifically in the ongoing battles for Pokrovsk in the Donetsk region. Sources claim that Russia currently lacks the capacity to simultaneously capture Pokrovsk and push Ukrainian forces back in the Kursk region without resorting to mass mobilization—a step the Russian government has not yet taken.