The nation that ranks 178th globally in terms of per capita GDP is now propping up the mighty Russian war machine, Putin’s entire global terror apparatus and conversely Russia’s ruling regime itself that seeks to pacify the Russian population’s insatiable bloodlust. According to a report from the Wall street Journal, more than 60% of the artillery and mortar shells used by Russia in Ukraine now come from North Korea. Satellite imagery and intelligence from Washington and Seoul reveal a massive surge in North Korean weapons production, directly supporting Moscow’s war machine.
This revelation, corroborated by Ukrainian defense official Andriy Kovalenko, paints a picture of a growing axis of cooperation between the two nations. “North Korean ammunition is holding up Russian defenses,” Kovalenko stated, emphasizing Pyongyang’s critical role in sustaining Russia’s prolonged campaign in Ukraine.
Recent satellite images show the rapid expansion of North Korea’s Hwasong-11 ballistic missile production complex (also known as KN-23 and KN-24 in the West), a facility linked to missile strikes on Ukraine. North Korea has reportedly shipped some 20,000 containers of ammunition to Russia, including everything from 122mm and 152mm artillery shells to its advanced Hwasong-11 missiles.
The scale of cooperation is staggering. Nearly 200 North Korean munitions factories are operating at full capacity, fueled by supplies from Moscow. In exchange for ammunition, Russia is reportedly providing Pyongyang with fuel and critical equipment to keep its arms factories humming.
While Western sanctions aim to isolate both nations, this partnership shows how rogue states can circumvent restrictions to mutual benefit. For North Korea, it’s a chance to cement its status as a global arms supplier, while Russia secures a steady flow of munitions to prolong its campaign in Ukraine.
This deepening reliance raises significant concerns for global security, as Russia increasingly turns Ukraine into testing ground for weapons supplied by authoritarian regimes that’ve agreed to join Putin’s war against the civilized world. The question now is how far this partnership will evolve—and what other surprises lie ahead, none of which the west seems to be taking seriously at all.