North Korea supplied Russia with 9 million shells and 100 ballistic missiles – international report, photos
Russia received up to nine million artillery and rocket munitions from North Korea in 2024, including 122 mm and 152 mm calibres.
Source: the first report by the Multilateral Sanctions Monitoring Team (MSMT), established by 11 UN member states
Quote: "The munitions were then sent via rail from Russian Far East ports to ammunition depots in southwestern Russia, for use by Russian military forces against Ukraine."
Details: In 2024 alone, North Korea transferred at least 100 ballistic missiles to Russia, which were later launched against Ukrainian territory with the aim of destroying civilian infrastructure and intimidating the population, including in cities such as Kyiv and Zaporizhzhia.
North Korea also supplied Russia with:
- self-propelled artillery systems of 170 mm calibre produced in Korea for long-range use;
- 240 mm multiple rocket launcher systems;
- over 200 pieces of equipment, including self-propelled guns, MLRS units and vehicles for reloading both types of weapons.
North Korea also supplied Russia with anti-tank missiles.
Quote: "Upon examining the North Korean weapons recovered from the battlefield, the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ukrainian Ministry of Defence concluded that the weapons North Korea supplied to Russia included Bulsae-4 anti-tank missiles and rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) anti-tank rockets."
Details: Media reports suggest that the accuracy of North Korean ballistic missiles is improving due to the data the country receives from the use of these missiles by Russian forces against Ukraine.
The previous analysis conducted in January–February 2024 showed that the remains of a ballistic missile documented in Kharkiv were of North Korean origin.
This conclusion was based on distinctive features such as "unique jet vane actuators, the bolt pattern around the igniter and the presence of Korean (Hangul) characters on the barometers".
During a subsequent investigation in August 2024, Conflict Armament Research (CAR), a UK-based research organisation, documented the remains of four more missiles retrieved in Bila Tserkva, Vitrova Balka and Rozhivka (Ukraine), further confirming the use of North Korean-made missiles on the battlefield.
Quote: "One of these missiles contained components marked with the figure ‘113’, possibly referring to the year 2024 in the Juche calendar (official dating system of North Korea), indicating its production in 2024."
Details: All missiles examined by CAR were identified as Hwasong-11A or Hwasong-11B.
The findings indicate that newly manufactured North Korean ballistic missiles were used against Ukraine, with a minimal interval between their production, transfer and deployment.
Moreover, CAR’s detection of recently manufactured components that were not of North Korean origin indicates that the country continues to attempt to bypass UN sanctions by acquiring foreign parts through third-party suppliers.
According to information from one of the MSMT member states, Russia supplied North Korea with air defence systems. Since November 2024, it is believed that Russia has provided North Korea with short-range air defence systems and electronic warfare systems.
Russia also transferred to North Korea at least one Pantsir-class combat vehicle. This is a mobile air defence system designed to target aircraft and helicopters, cruise missiles, precision-guided munitions and unmanned aerial vehicles.
Background: On 20 May, the Verkhovna Rada (Ukrainian Parliament) registered a draft resolution proposing to recognise the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) as an aggressor state due to its military cooperation with Russia in the war against Ukraine.
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