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How North Korea's massive military aid is keeping Putin's war machine running
By isabelle // 2025-04-16
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  • North Korea has shipped millions of artillery shells and sent thousands of troops to Russia, significantly aiding its war in Ukraine.
  • Many North Korean soldiers were deceived into fighting, suffering heavy casualties while being used as expendable assault troops.
  • Russia is likely repaying North Korea with missile and nuclear technology, escalating global security threats.
  • The partnership forms a dangerous alliance with China and Iran, undermining Western interests and regional stability.
  • Experts warn Kim Jong Un is gaining combat experience and tech that could target South Korea, Japan, and U.S. forces.
For decades, North Korea has been a pariah state, isolated by sanctions and condemned for its brutal dictatorship. But new investigations reveal Pyongyang has now become a critical lifeline for Russia’s war in Ukraine—shipping millions of artillery shells, ballistic missiles, and even troops to the frontlines while deceiving its own soldiers into believing they were merely on training exercises. According to a Reuters investigation, North Korea has supplied between 4.2 and 5.8 million artillery shells—enough to account for up to 70% of Russia’s frontline ammunition—and dispatched as many as 14,000 troops, many of whom were misled about their mission. Intercepted radio communications, satellite imagery, and Ukrainian intelligence confirm Pyongyang's deep commitment to aiding Moscow, reshaping the battlefield and prolonging a war that has already claimed hundreds of thousands of lives. The alarming military partnership underscores a growing "axis of evil" between Russia, North Korea, China, and Iran, threatening global security and American interests in both Europe and the Indo-Pacific. Worse still, U.S. officials warn that Kim Jong Un is exploiting this war to test weapons, refine battlefield tactics, and extract critical military technology—knowledge that could soon be turned against South Korea, Japan, and American forces in the region.

Pyongyang’s artillery floodgates open

The scale of North Korea’s munitions transfers to Russia is staggering. The Open Source Centre (OSC), a UK-based research group, tracked 64 shipments between August 2023 and March 2025, featuring 15,800 containers filled with artillery and rocket systems. These supplies, carried by sanctioned Russian cargo ships like the Angara and Lady R, traveled from North Korea’s Rajin port to Russian depots near Ukraine’s border. Ukrainian intelligence estimates that North Korean shells accounted for 70% of Russia’s artillery usage at times, allowing Moscow to sustain relentless bombardments despite Western sanctions on Russian arms production. "Without Chairman Kim Jong Un’s support, President Vladimir Putin wouldn’t really be able to prosecute his war in Ukraine," said Hugh Griffiths, a former UN sanctions monitor. The White House has warned that Russia is likely repaying Pyongyang with missile and nuclear technology—a dangerous exchange that could accelerate Kim’s ambitions. "Russia is almost certainly transferring missile technology to Pyongyang," said U.S. Army General Christopher Cavoli.

North Korean troops thrown into the meat grinder

Perhaps the most shocking revelation is the deployment of North Korean soldiers, many of whom believed they were only going to Russia for training. According to Ukrainian intelligence interrogations of captured troops, these men were given Russian uniforms, weapons, and false military IDs, then sent directly into combat against Ukraine’s entrenched defenses. Ukrainian commander Oleh Shyriaiev confirmed: "Koreans are used as assault troops." The casualties have been devastating. By early 2025, an estimated 4,000 North Korean soldiers had been killed or wounded, with reinforcements continuously sent to replace losses. Yet Pyongyang’s leadership shows no remorse, leveraging its people as disposable pawns in exchange for Moscow’s military secrets.

A dangerous alliance that threatens the free world

The deepening military cooperation between Russia and North Korea has far-reaching consequences. Beyond Ukraine, analysts warn that Pyongyang is gaining real combat experience, testing missiles in battle, and refining artillery tactics that could be used against Seoul. Meanwhile, Russia’s willingness to share advanced military technology risks supercharging North Korea’s nuclear and missile programs. Sen. Roger Wicker (R-MS) warned that the growing alignment of Russia, China, North Korea, and Iran should "be of great concern to all in the West." With Beijing supplying Russian defense industries and Tehran providing deadly drones, the war in Ukraine has become a testing ground for authoritarian powers seeking to undermine Western dominance. North Korea’s massive military aid to Russia proves that the war in Ukraine is no longer just Europe’s problem; it is a global crisis. The U.S. and its allies must recognize that every shell Pyongyang sends to Moscow makes future conflicts in Asia more deadly. If Washington fails to act decisively, the lessons Kim Jong Un learns today could be used against American troops tomorrow. Sources for this article include: Reuters.com APNews.com Newsweek.com
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