North Korea runs out of shells for Putin, Russia turns to faulty stockpiles
Photo: North Korean and Russian presidents Kim Jong Un and Vladimir Putin (Getty Images)
North Korea has depleted its stockpile of artillery shells intended for supply to Moscow, according to recent data. At the same time, Pyongyang has launched mass production of FPV drones.
The update was delivered by Vadym Skibitskyi, deputy head of Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence, according to Reuters.
North Korea has sharply reduced the volume of ammunition it supplies to Russia. Millions of North Korean artillery shells helped Russia maintain its rate of fire on the front lines in 2024, but this year deliveries dropped by more than half.
According to Skibitskyi, the reason is simple: Pyongyang has exhausted the stockpile of shells it could send to Russia. He also revealed the total volume shipped since 2023, about 6.5 million artillery shells.
The deputy head of Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence said that no deliveries were recorded in September, and only some shipments appeared in October. However, around half of the ammunition sent last month was so old that it needed to be sent to Russian factories for refurbishment.
Pyongyang ramps up FPV drone production
Skibitskyi added that North Korea has begun mass production of FPV drones and larger, medium-range combat UAVs, though he did not specify the scale.
"They are learning, they are studying their experience (in this war) in order to expand production in their own territory," he said.
Reuters notes that thousands of North Korean troops fought alongside Russian forces in Russia’s Kursk region last year after Ukraine’s incursion there, an effort to relieve pressure on Russian units elsewhere and gain leverage in potential peace talks.
North Korea has acknowledged its involvement in events in Ukraine, claiming its role "to preserve world peace in the face of aggression by the West." However, Pyongyang has provided no details and has not responded to requests for comment.
As reported earlier today, Ukraine’s military intelligence carried out a sabotage operation on the Trans-Siberian Railway, disrupting the shipment of North Korean weapons to Russia.
Russia plans to recruit 12,000 workers from North Korea to assemble Shahed drones. North Korean soldiers are already fighting on Russia’s side on the Ukrainian front.
