ISW reveals how Russia 'thanked' North Korea for sending troops to war
Photo: Kim Jong Un and Vladimir Putin (Getty Images)
North Korea did not send troops to fight in the war against Ukraine for free. Russia provided North Korea with oil, missiles, and air defense systems, according to a report from the Institute for the Study of War (ISW).
The BBC has confirmed that Russia sent over one million barrels of oil to North Korea in exchange for troops. According to monitoring groups, more than 12 different North Korean oil tankers arrived empty at an oil terminal in the Russian Far East and departed with nearly full tanks 43 times in the past eight months.
British Foreign Secretary David Lammy stated that this was payment from Russia for the weapons and troops that North Korea has provided for the war against Ukraine.
The oil supply violates UN sanctions against North Korea.
According to South Korea, North Korea also received "unspecified" air defense systems and surface-to-air missiles from Russia, which also violates UN sanctions.
ISW analysts note that the specific type of air defense system provided by Russia to North Korea remains unclear. South Korean experts have suggested that Russia may have supplied North Korea with S-400 systems, as North Korea is capable of producing shorter-range systems domestically.
However, delivering S-400 systems to Pyongyang would represent a significant shift in Russia’s strategy and priorities.
"Any Russian S-400 delivery to North Korea would be a significant inflection, however, as Russia reportedly decided earlier this year to delay the delivery of two promised S-400 air defense systems to India until August 2026 and continues to delay providing Iran with S-400 systems," the report states.
ISW speculates that Russia most likely provided North Korea with shorter-range missiles and systems or possibly anti-aircraft artillery systems.
North Korea joins the war
In the fall, North Korea sent over 10,000 troops to Russia. They underwent training at Russian military ranges before being deployed to the Kursk region.
It is known that North Korean soldiers have already fought against Ukrainian defenders in the Kursk region. Recently, reports emerged that North Korean troops were allegedly in the Kharkiv region, though the Ukrainian Armed Forces have denied this information.
According to the Financial Times, North Korea has also provided Russia with long-range missile and artillery systems.
