North Korea put Russia from 4 to 6 million shells – Reuters investigation

In the last 20 months, North Korea has transferred to Russia at least 4 million artillery shells that are actively used in the war against Ukraine. The Reuters investigation confirms that supply is massively and systematically and railroad routes, which significantly strengthened the military capabilities of the Russian army.

Source: Investigation of Reuters Agency in cooperation with the British Analytical Center Open Source Center (OSC)

Details: OSC analysts tracked 64 flights to the North Korean port “Rajin”, made from September 2023 to March 2025 with four containers under the Russian flag-Angara, Maria, Maia-1 and Lady R-to Russian ports “East” and “Danube”. These flights were delivered nearly 16,000 containers with northern Korean shells and other ammunition, which were later transported to warehouses near the Ukrainian border

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Literally: “It is impossible to check the ammunition within each transport container, but OSC has calculated the so -called” conservative range ” – from 4 to 6 million artillery shells, based on Ukraine’s assessment of their prevalence and probable packaging schemes.”

Details: In addition to artillery shells, North Korea also handed over rocket systems to Russia, self -propelled artillery installations and ballistic missiles.

Literally: “North Korea has become one of the key sources of ammunition for the Russian army. The scale and systematicity of these supplies emphasizes a new level of military-political cooperation of the two countries under international sanctions.”

Details: According to Reuters, over the past year, the vast majority of shells used by individual Russian units were from North Korea.

In the daily reports of Russian artillery units, which analyzed Reuters, up to 100% of ammunition used on separate days were of North Korean origin. In other cases, this figure reached 75%.

Literally: “Last summer, the unit on the Southeast Zaporizhzhya Front reported that almost 50% of the shells produced by the D-20 howitzers were North Korean 152 mm projectiles, and 100% of its 122 mm rockets were North Korean.

Details: According to the Main Directorate of Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine (GUR), from mid -2023, North Korea has supplied more than 4 million artillery shells, including 122 mm caliber and 152 mm, which are the basis for the weapons of Russian artillery units.

“North Korea’s contribution was strategically important. Without Kim’s support, President Putin would not be able to continue his war in Ukraine,” said the former UN Expert Group Coordinator on DPRK GUG GUFITS.

Literally: “In any case, the North Korean deliveries will be a significant addition to Russian production, which, according to Ukrainian and Western officials, in 2024 ranged from 2 to 2.3 million artillery shells.

US Army General Christopher Cavoli, Commander -in -Chief of the US forces in Europe, told US legislators on April 3, which expects: annual production of artillery shells in Russia will reach 3 million units without specifying when it can happen. ”