Western intelligence believes Russia receives half of its shells from North Korea

Half of the approximately three million artillery shells per year used by Russia come from North Korea.

Source: The Times citing Western intelligence data; European Pravda report

Details: The Times' source, who cited intelligence, said that Russia became dependent on supplies from the DPRK after Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin's visit to Pyongyang earlier this year.

Western intelligence estimates that many of the North Korean missiles may be defective, but it is their sheer numbers that have allowed Russia to achieve consistent success on the battlefield.

Despite this, the source added, Russia is suffering high casualties in Ukraine – 1,200 soldiers a day, 480 of them in the battle for the city of Pokrovsk in Donetsk Oblast alone.

Also, they said, Russia is currently unable to simultaneously capture Pokrovsk and drive Ukrainian forces out of Kursk Oblast without mass mobilisation, but the Russian authorities are not taking this step.

The source stated that they saw no signs that Putin was backing down from his main goal of subjugating Ukraine's sovereignty and added that they did not see any prospect of negotiations in the near future.

According to South Korean estimates, as of the summer of 2024, Russia could have received five million artillery shells from the DPRK.

Evidence of new deliveries of North Korean ballistic missiles to Moscow has also recently emerged.

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