The report covers the period from August 2023 to January 2024. During this time, over 74,000 metric tons of explosives were shipped from Russia to North Korea. The cargo, distributed from two ports in the Russian Far East to the country's western borders near Ukraine, was equivalent to approximately 1.6 million artillery shells used by Russia against Ukraine.
Read also: DPRK-made missiles used by Russia in Ukraine contain nearly 300 foreign components
The locations where the cargo arrived suggest it contained ammunition, although it was documented as explosives, according to C4ADS. The data does not specify the origin of these shipments, but The Washington Post and C4ADS found evidence of Russian ships traveling between North Korea and Russia during this period.
Read also: South Korea mulls arms supplies to Ukraine after Russia-North Korea deal
The Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), which monitors movements between North Korea and Russia using satellite imagery, observed similar patterns. The think tank identified 27 shipments between the North Korean port of Rajin and two Russian ports during this time.
The Washington Post reports that Russia is depleting its ammunition reserves and is increasingly dependent on its few allies, while isolated North Korea seeks ways to generate revenue.
Read also: U.S. Department of State responds to Putin’s remarks on supplying weapons to North Korea
On June 14, South Korean Defense Minister Shin Won-sik told Bloomberg that North Korea had sent containers to Russia potentially containing nearly 5 million artillery shells.
North Korean munitions used against Ukrainie
In early January, U.S. National Security Council spokesman John Kirby stated that Russia struck Ukraine with North Korean ballistic missiles on Dec. 30, Jan. 2, and Jan. 6.
Read also: Seoul signals lethal aid to Ukraine if Russia supplies precision weapons to North Korea
South Korea's representative to the UN, Hwang Joon-kook, said North Korea is using Ukraine as a “testing ground” for ballistic missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads.
Ukraine's Prosecutor General Andriy Kostin announced on Jan. 11 that his office had received the first evidence of North Korean missiles being used in the conflict.
Putin's visit to North Korea
Putin arrived in Pyongyang on June 18 to meet with dictator Kim Jong Un, marking his first visit to the North Korean capital since 2000.
White House spokesman John Kirby expressed concern about the deepening relations between Russia and North Korea, particularly regarding its impact on the war in Ukraine and security on the Korean Peninsula.
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During the meeting, Putin and Kim Jong Un signed an agreement on a "comprehensive strategic partnership" to expand economic and military cooperation and strengthen a "united front" against Washington.
The Pentagon also stated that the increased cooperation between Russia and North Korea is a cause for concern.
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Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
Section: Nation
Author: Владислав Литнарович
