North Korea has sent Russia at least 13000 shipping containers, containing weapons, since mid-2022, according to a military intelligence report submitted to South Korean lawmakers.
“To prepare for a prolonged war in Ukraine, Russia has moved to formalize North Korea as a supply base for weapons and ammunition,” Yonhap quoted South Korea’s Defense Ministry’s intelligence agency as saying.
The report indicated that these containers could hold more than 6 million 152-millimeter artillery shells. Military analysts have suggested that North Korea may have also shipped 120mm mortars, 122mm artillery shells, and 122mm rockets to Russia.
The United States and its allies have accused North Korea of supplying ammunition and missiles to Russia for its war in Ukraine, allegations that both Moscow and Pyongyang have denied.
However, during a visit to North Korea earlier this summer, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a mutual defense agreement with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
Putin has also hinted at sending weapons to North Korea in response to Western military aid to Ukraine, a move that has raised concerns in Washington and Seoul about the potential destabilization of the Korean Peninsula.
Russia is believed to be interested in purchasing North Korean ammunition to continue its military efforts in Ukraine, while North Korea is reportedly seeking Russia’s assistance in developing its missile program and other advanced military technologies.
