Kyrylo Budanov, head of Ukrainian military intelligence, has recently highlighted North Korea's significant role in supporting Russia’s war effort in Ukraine.
Unparalleled Support
According to Budanov, North Korea has emerged as Russia's most crucial ally, supplying vital artillery ammunition that bolsters Russian operations on the battlefield.
Budanov points out that the scale of North Korean support is unparalleled compared to other nations allied with Russia. The Ukrainian intelligence chief specifically mentions the large-scale supply of artillery ammunition from North Korea, which poses a major challenge for Ukrainian forces, according to WP.
North Korea has been providing Russia with essential artillery shells, including 122 mm rounds containing up to 3.5 kg of TNT and 152 mm rounds with up to 8 kg of TNT.
These munitions are critical to various Russian artillery systems. While 122 mm howitzers generally have a range of up to 15 km (such as the 2S1 Gvozdika system), 152 mm howitzers can reach approximately 20 km (like the 2S3 Akatsiya system).
6 Million Artillery Shells
The potential for North Korea to supply longer-range rocket ammunition remains unclear.
Budanov emphasizes the seriousness of North Korea’s ammunition supply, noting that while ballistic missiles from Pyongyang are a concern, it is the artillery ammunition that is of greater significance to Russia’s military operations.
Reports from August revealed that since mid-2022, North Korea has sent over 13,000 containers of approximately 6 million 152 mm artillery shells to Russia.
The cooperation between Moscow and Pyongyang has intensified, with North Korea also supplying short-range ballistic missiles since early 2024. These missiles, identified as KN-23 (or Hwasong-11Ga), have been used in attacks against Ukraine and can reach distances of up to 600 km.
