As the Main Intelligence Directorate of Ukraine managed to find out, in 2025, North Korea more than halved its supply of shells to Russia. Moreover, it transferred obsolete ones to the aggressor country, because the Kim Jong-un regime had already exhausted its reserves.
Points of attention
- Kim Jong-un's regime is exploring new military technologies like drones while learning from the Russian-Ukrainian war experience to enhance domestic production.
- The intelligence report sheds light on the changing dynamics of North Korea's military support to Russia and the strategic implications for both nations.
North Korea will not be able to help Russia as before
Deputy Chief of the GUR Vadim Skibitsky draws attention to the fact that regular supplies of millions of artillery shells from the DPRK to Russia allowed it to maintain the intensity of fire on the battlefield last year.
In total, the volume of deliveries was 6.5 million artillery shells from 2023.
However, this year the situation changed dramatically, as their number more than halved — North Korea's reserves were finally exhausted.
According to GUR data, no shipments of shells from North Korea were recorded in September 2025, but some were recorded last month.
The main problem was that about 50% of the shells from the DPRK were so old that they were even sent to Russian factories for modernization.
Despite this, the Kim Jong-un regime has begun mass production of small, short-range FPV drones, as well as larger, medium-range drones.
They are studying, they are studying their experience (of the Russian Federation's war against Ukraine — ed.) in order to expand production on their territory, — Skibytskyi reported.
