© David Guttenfelder/Associated Press
North Korea has decided to send at least 6,000 more of its military personnel to Russia, with the stated purpose of helping restore infrastructure in Kursk Oblast, according to Russian officials. Earlier reports indicated that more than half of an initial 11,000-strong North Korean contingent had been lost during combat operations against Ukrainian forces in the same area.
Sergey Shoigu, Secretary of the Russian Security Council, announced the move following a meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Interfax Russia reports that Shoigu specified the alleged composition of the incoming forces:
“Chairman of State Affairs of the DPRK Kim Jong Un has decided to send one thousand sappers to Russia for demining operations, as well as five thousand military builders for restoring damaged infrastructure.”
Shoigu stated that the deployment followed negotiations aimed at deepening cooperation between the two countries and enhancing North Korea’s support in rebuilding Kursk Oblast.
Shoigu also revealed plans to honor Korean People’s Army (KPA) soldiers who, according to Russian authorities, participated in military actions to “liberate Russian territory.”
“Our leaders decided to immortalize the heroism of Korean People’s Army soldiers who took part in combat operations,” he said.
As part of this initiative, new memorials will be constructed in both Russia and North Korea.
The British Defense Ministry stated earlier that over 6,000 troops from the Korean People’s Army were lost during offensive operations against Ukrainian forces in the area. The total KPA presence initially amounted to approximately 11,000 troops, making the losses exceed 50%.
Last June, Russia and North Korea signed a Treaty on Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in Pyongyang.
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© Korean Central News Agency, via Associated Press
Editor's note: This item has been updated to include additional details.
Russian Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu arrived in Pyongyang on June 17 on a "special assignment" from President Vladimir Putin, Russian state-controlled news agency TASS reported on June 17.
Shoigu met with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un during the visit, TASS reported, citing a correspondent on the ground. The purpose of the visit has not been officially disclosed, but it occurs amid intensifying military cooperation between the two nations.
After the meeting with Kim, Shoigu announced that North Korea had decided to send 1,000 sappers and 5,000 military builders to rebuild Russia's Kursk Oblast, according to TASS.
Ukraine initially captured 1,300 square kilometers (500 square miles) of Russian territory during a cross-border operation that began in August 2024. Since then, Ukraine has lost most of the territory after Moscow launched a counteroffensive in March, which was supported by Pyongyang's military.
According to a June 15 report from the United Kingdom's defense intelligence, over 6,000 North Korean soldiers have been killed or wounded during operations in Russia's Kursk Oblast.
According to TASS, Shoigu also discussed in Pyongyang the creation of memorials in Russia and North Korea in memory of Korean soldiers who died fighting in the Kursk Oblast.
North Korea has emerged as one of Russia's closest military partners during its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Since late 2023, Pyongyang has supplied Moscow with millions of artillery shells, at least 100 ballistic missiles, and reportedly deployed more than 11,000 troops to assist Russian operations in Ukraine’s border regions.
The U.K. said Pyongyang's losses account for more than half of the North Korean contingent deployed to the region in fall 2024. British officials attributed the high casualties to highly attritional ground assaults.
Earlier this year, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff reported that North Korea sent an additional 3,000 soldiers to Russia in January and February to replenish losses.
In June 2024, Russia and North Korea signed a mutual defense pact obligating both countries to provide military assistance in the event of an external attack. Though North Korea only publicly acknowledged its participation in Russia's war against Ukraine in April 2025, open-source reports and intelligence assessments have indicated its involvement since at least the fall of 2024.
The Multilateral Sanctions Monitoring Team (MSMT), a United Nations-affiliated watchdog, reported in May that North Korea and Russia had engaged in "unlawful military cooperation" in violation of multiple UN Security Council resolutions. This included arms transfers, deployment of combat troops, petroleum exports to North Korea exceeding UN caps, and mutual military training.
According to MSMT findings, Russian-flagged vessels delivered up to 9 million rounds of artillery and multiple rocket launcher ammunition from North Korea to southwestern Russia in 2024 alone. These weapons were subsequently used in attacks against Ukrainian infrastructure and civilian targets in cities including Kyiv and Zaporizhzhia.
Russia has also reportedly provided advanced military technology to North Korea, including ballistic missile guidance systems, electronic warfare platforms, and short-range air defense systems. One MSMT participating state confirmed the transfer of at least one Pantsir-class vehicle to Pyongyang.
Kim Jong Un described his country's involvement in Russia's war against Ukraine as a "sacred mission" during a public address in May.
Shoigu's visit to North Korea comes amid intensified Russian aerial attacks across Ukraine, including the use of North Korean-made ballistic missiles containing components sourced from third-party suppliers.
The Kyiv IndependentKateryna Hodunova
North Korea has suffered more than 6,000 casualties during offensive operations in Russia’s Kursk Oblast, according to a June 15 report from the United Kingdom’s defense intelligence.
According to the report, North Korea's losses account for more than half of the approximately 11,000 troops initially deployed to Kursk in fall 2024.
U.K. intelligence attributed the high casualty rate to large, highly attritional dismounted assaults.
Open source intelligence reports have also suggested that small numbers of additional North Korea troops have been deployed to make up for the losses.
Earlier this year, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff reported that North Korea transferred approximately 3,000 additional soldiers to Russia in January and February.
North Korea has emerged as a key military ally of Russia through its invasion of Ukraine, supplying Moscow with artillery shells, missiles, and even soldiers in exchange for oil products and advanced military technology, such as ballistic missile upgrades.
In April 2025, Russia confirmed for the first time that North Korean forces were fighting alongside Russian troops in Kursk, although North Korean troops have been reportedly involved since fall 2024.
Ukraine launched a cross-border incursion into Kursk Oblast in August 2024, marking the first large-scale invasion of Russian territory by foreign forces since World War II. The operation aimed to disrupt a planned Russian offensive on the neighboring Sumy Oblast and draw Russian forces away from the embattled Donbas region.
Russia launched a push to recapture the region in early March 2025, with Ukraine being forced to pull back from much of the initially taken territory.
The Kyiv IndependentThe Kyiv Independent news desk
More than 6,000 North Korean soldiers have been killed, wounded, or gone missing while fighting alongside Russian forces in Russia’s Kursk Oblast, according to a new report from UK intelligence.
The British Ministry of Defence, in its 15 June intelligence update, states that around half of the estimated 11,000 North Korean troops deployed to the area have become casualties.
In August 2024, Ukraine launched a rare cross-border operation into Kursk, briefly capturing territory and forcing Russia to redeploy troops. While initially successful, the campaign was eventually reversed. By March 2025, Ukrainian forces had withdrawn, ending the offensive without holding ground. However, Kyiv claims the operation disrupted Russian logistics and diverted enemy forces from other fronts.
“Significant DPRK casualty rates have almost certainly been sustained primarily through large, highly attritional dismounted assaults,” the report said, pointing to intense and costly infantry engagements on the ground.
UK intelligence analysts believe these tactics are leading to unsustainable losses for North Korean units involved in front-line fighting.
On 4 June, Russia’s Security Council Secretary and former Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu visited North Korea for the second time in three months. He met with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, signaling deepening military coordination between Moscow and Pyongyang.
Shoigu is believed to be the Kremlin’s lead negotiator managing North Korea’s military support for Russia’s war effort against Ukraine.
As of mid-June, North Korea’s military activity remains limited to the Kursk direction. According to UK intelligence, any expansion beyond Russian borders—particularly into internationally recognized Ukrainian territory—would almost certainly require joint authorization from both Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong-un.
In April, a South Korean lawmaker citing intelligence sources reported that about 600 North Koreans had died in the conflict. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, speaking in January, estimated that 4,000 North Korean troops had been killed or wounded.
Later, on 25 April, Ukraine’s General Staff announced that more than 4,500 North Korean troops had been neutralized since the launch of the Kursk offensive.
© Kim Hong-Ji/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images
Russia helped significantly improve North Korea's KN-23 ballistic missiles, also known as Hwasong-11, after receiving the first inaccurate batch from Pyongyang, Kyrylo Budanov, Ukraine's military intelligence (HUR) chief, said in an interview with The War Zone published on June 9.
North Korea has supplied Russia with ammunition, ballistic missiles, and soldiers since the beginning of the full-scale invasion.
KN-23 ballistic missiles initially flew with a deviation of a few kilometers and around half fired at Ukraine by Russia malfunctioned and exploded in mid-air, Reuters reported in May 2024, citing Ukraine's Prosecutor General's Office.
But now they are hitting their targets, Budanov said, without specifying what exactly was changed in the North Korean missiles.
"The KN-23 missiles that were delivered in the very beginning, now it's an absolutely different missile in (terms) of their technical characteristics. The accuracy has increased many times," Budanov said.
"This is the result of the common work of Russian and North Korean specialists. Also, there is the modernization of long-range air-to-air missiles, particular technologies on submarines, and unfortunately, ballistic missiles, which can carry nuclear payloads," he added.
According to Budanov, Russia has also agreed to help North Korea begin domestic production of Shahed-type kamikaze drones.
Pyongyang has ratcheted up its support for Russia following Russian President Vladimir Putin's signing of a mutual defense pact with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in June 2024.
According to a May 29 report by the Multilateral Sanctions Monitoring Team (MSMT), Pyongyang shipped to Russia up to 9 million artillery shells and at least 100 ballistic missiles in 2024 alone.
North Korea's involvement in the war expanded in fall 2024, when it deployed thousands of troops to Russia's western border to help fend off a large-scale Ukrainian incursion.
The move followed the signing of a defense treaty between the two countries in June 2024, obligating both to provide military aid if either is attacked.
North Korea acknowledged its role in the war only in April 2025. A month later, North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un said the country's participation was part of a "sacred mission," aligning Pyongyang's narrative with Moscow's.
The Kyiv IndependentKollen Post
Russia has begun striking targets in Ukraine with “deadly accuracy.” Improved North Korean KN-23 ballistic missiles have given Moscow a much-needed source of short-range missiles, Kyrylo Budanov, chief of Ukrainian military intelligence, told The War Zone.
The first batch of missiles from North Korea proved to be of extremely poor quality. About half of them not only deviated from their trajectory but also exploded in mid-air.
“Initially, with the beginning of the transfer to Russia, they were flying with a deviation of a few kilometers, but now they are exactly hitting the target. This is the result of the common work of Russian and North Korean specialists,” he said.
He also noted that Russia is providing North Korea with technology in exchange for troop and weapons supplies.
“Also, there is the modernization of the aviation means of engagement — long-range air-to-air missiles. Particular technologies on submarines. Unfortunately, ballistic missiles which are carriers of nuclear payloads,” the intelligence chief explained.
Budanov also added that agreements exist to begin establishing production facilities on North Korean territory for manufacturing “Harpy” and Shahed-136 drones, which will lead to changes in the regional military balance between North and South Korea.
Additionally, North Korea supplies Russia with:
The latter system performs quite well in combat. It fires from a considerable distance and is quite accurate, Budanov noted.
He added that, according to intelligence data, Pyongyang has transferred 120 such systems to Russia. Budanov believes that supplies of these systems to Russia will continue.
© Lisa Leutner/Reuters
Russia is providing North Korea with technology to produce Shahed kamikaze drones and has dramatically improved the accuracy of Pyongyang’s ballistic missiles, potentially shifting the military balance on the Korean peninsula, Ukraine’s spymaster reported.
Lt-Gen Kyrylo Budanov, commander of Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence Directorate (HUR), revealed in an interview with The War Zone that Russia and North Korea have reached agreements to establish drone production capabilities on North Korean territory.
“[There are] agreements on the beginning of the creation of capabilities to produce UAVs of the Garpiya and Geran (the Russian designation for Iranian Shahed 131 and Shahed 136 drones, – Ed.) types on the territory of North Korea,” Budanov stated. “It will for sure bring changes in the military balance in the region between North Korea and South Korea.”
The Shahed family of drones has been the most prolific long-range aerial threat to Ukraine throughout the war. Russia currently produces approximately 2,000 units monthly with plans to increase production to 5,000 per month, according to The War Zone.
The technology transfer extends beyond drone production. Budanov revealed that North Korean KN-23 short-range ballistic missiles, also known as Hwasong-11, have been transformed from unreliable weapons into precision strike systems through Russian assistance.
“Initially, with the beginning of the transfer to Russia, they were flying with a deviation of a few kilometers, but now they are exactly hitting the target,” Budanov explained. “This is the result of the common work of Russian and North Korean specialists.”
Russia is assisting North Korea’s nuclear weapons program by solving critical problems with missile carriers and submarine-based launch systems. According to Budanov, North Korea previously struggled with these delivery systems, but Russian specialists are now providing solutions.
The intelligence chief pointed to the dramatic transformation of KN-23 missiles as proof – weapons that initially arrived are now completely different in their technical characteristics, with accuracy improved multiple times. The cooperation extends to upgrading aviation systems, including long-range air-to-air missiles, and submarine technologies for nuclear-armed ballistic missiles.
Budanov confirmed that approximately 11,000 North Korean troops are currently deployed in Russia’s Kursk Oblast. North Korea has supplied extensive armaments to support Russia’s war effort, including 122mm D-74 howitzers, 107mm infantry multiple launch rocket systems, 240mm MLRS, and 170mm M1989 Koksan self-propelled artillery guns.
Regarding the Koksan artillery, Budanov noted Russia received 120 units and expects more deliveries, describing them as unfortunately effective long-range weapons performing well in combat.
Following Shoigu’s visit, Russia will import North Korean workers to replace Central Asian migrants deemed security risks. These workers could potentially become “Russian warriors, but of North Korean nationality” through military contracts.
HUR is now determining the program’s scope.
3. 15 WordPress-style tags: North Korea, Shahed drones, Russia-Ukraine war, Kyrylo Budanov, Ukraine intelligence, KN-23 missiles, Military technology transfer, Kursk Oblast, Nuclear weapons technology, Submarine technology, Koksan artillery, North Korean troops, Geran drones, Defense Intelligence Directorate, Ballistic missiles
Russia has agreed to help North Korea begin domestic production of Shahed-type "kamikaze" drones, Ukraine's military intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov said in an interview with the War Zone magazine published on June 9.
Shahed drones could enable North Korea to strike targets across South Korea, potentially overwhelming air defenses, and could also assist Russia in its war against Ukraine, the War Zone wrote.
Budanov said Moscow and Pyongyang reached an agreement to start organizing the manufacturing of Iranian-designed Garpiya and Geran drones — the latter being Russia's designation for the Shahed-136 loitering munition — on North Korean territory.
"It's more about technology transfer," Budanov told the outlet, warning that the development could upset the military balance on the Korean Peninsula. "They just agreed to start the organization of this production."
Shahed drones, cheap and packed with explosives, have become a central weapon in Russia's aerial assaults on Ukraine since their introduction in late 2022.
Known for flying long distances before slamming into targets, they are now mass-produced by Russia and launched in near-nightly waves to overwhelm Ukrainian air defenses.
The news comes amid deepening military ties between Russia and North Korea. According to a May 29 report by the Multilateral Sanctions Monitoring Team (MSMT), Pyongyang shipped to Russia up to 9 million artillery shells and at least 100 ballistic missiles in 2024 alone.
North Korea's involvement in the war expanded in fall 2024, when it deployed thousands of troops to Russia's western border to help fend off a large-scale Ukrainian incursion. The move followed the signing of a defense treaty between the two countries in June 2024, obligating both to provide military aid if either is attacked.
North Korea acknowledged its role in the war only in April 2025. A month later, North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un said the country's participation was part of a "sacred mission," aligning Pyongyang's narrative with Moscow's.
Kim remains a vocal ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, supplying not only soldiers but also artillery, drones, and ballistic missiles. During Russia's May 9 Victory Day Parade in Moscow, Putin personally greeted North Korean troops, though Kim did not attend.
The Kyiv IndependentOlena Goncharova
Russia turns the war into a marathon of continuous arms production. Moscow produces more ammunition than all NATO countries combined, and does so many times faster, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte stated at the Royal Institute of International Affairs in London on 9 June.
He also called for a 400% increase in air and missile defence systems. The proposal represents one of the key priorities for the upcoming NATO summit scheduled for 24-25 June in The Hague, where alliance members will discuss enhanced defence capabilities.
“In terms of ammunition, Russia produces in three months what the whole of NATO produces in a year,” said Rutte.
He added that Russia’s military machine is not slowing down. On the contrary, it is strengthening its potential. Russia is actively replenishing its arsenal with help from China, Iran, and North Korea.
Rutte also noted that Russia is using Chinese technology to modernize its army.
“And its defence industrial base is expected to roll out 1,500 tanks, 3,000 armoured vehicles, and 200 Iskander missiles this year alone,” the NATO chief highlighted.
He warned that Russia could be ready for aggression against NATO within the next five years. According to Rutte, “President Putin does not act like someone who is interested in peace.”
NATO needs to increase air and missile defence by 400% – Rutte says ahead of June summit
Russia is fielding rare 140 mm and 60 mm mortars from North Korea in its war on Ukraine, with new photos marking the first visual confirmation of their use in combat, according to NK News.
Militarnyi, citing NK News, reports that North Korea has delivered towed 140 mm mortars to Russian forces, following earlier transfers of 60 mm mortars. The artillery pieces, previously limited to DPRK parades and museum displays, are now appearing alongside Russian troops operating in the Kursk Oblast.
Photos shared by Russian military bloggers show several 60 mm mortars reportedly provided by North Korea to Russian paratroopers of the 76th Guards Air Assault Division. These troops, reportedly operating with DPRK personnel in the Kursk area, were seen in combat positions with the mortars.
Joost Oliemans, an expert in North Korean military systems, stated the photographs are the first evidence that these weapons are now actively used in the Ukraine war. He noted that the 60 mm mortar may have been North Korea’s attempt to imitate NATO-standard weaponry. Russian propagandists claim the mortar’s effectiveness remains unclear, according to Miltitarnyi.
Oliemans also explained that the larger 140 mm mortar was developed by North Korea during the 1980s and 1990s. The first known appearance of this system was during a military parade in 1992 marking the 60th anniversary of the DPRK armed forces. He added that the model likely dates back to 1981.
Militarnyi notes that despite the growth in DPRK arms supplies, Russia remains challenged by logistical issues arising from its reliance on non-standard calibers. The introduction of such unique artillery pieces complicates integration with existing systems.
In a recent development, Russia reportedly equipped one of its newly formed artillery brigades with Koksan self-propelled artillery systems, also received from North Korea.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un declared “unconditional support” for Russia’s war against Ukraine during a meeting with top Russian official Sergei Shoigu in Pyongyang, according to North Korean state media on 5 June.
AP reports that Kim met with Russian Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu in Pyongyang on 4 June. According to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), Kim told Shoigu that North Korea would “unconditionally support the stand of Russia and its foreign policies in all the crucial international political issues including the Ukrainian issue.” The visit marks an intensification of cooperation between the two countries.
KCNA added that the two officials discussed how to solidify the strategic partnership between North Korea and Russia, reaching a consensus on the Ukraine issue and other unspecified international situations. No further details were provided by the North Korean outlet.
North Korea’s troops, shells, missiles aided Russia in war against Ukraine, breaching UN sanctions, report confirms
In April 2025, North Korea and Russia officially confirmed the deployment of North Korean troops to Russia for the first time. The confirmation stated that North Korean and Russian soldiers were fighting side by side against what they described as a Ukrainian incursion into Russia’s Kursk Oblast.
Though neither Russia nor North Korea has released troop counts, intelligence from the US, South Korea, and Ukraine has previously stated that North Korea sent between 10,000 and 12,000 troops to Russia last fall. South Korean authorities recently added that another 3,000 troops were dispatched earlier this year.
North Korea supplied Russia with 9 mn rounds of ammunition and 100 ballistic missiles since 2023
Russia’s state-run Tass news agency, citing the Russian Security Council’s press service, reported that Shoigu and Kim also discussed the reconstruction of Kursk Oblast and agreed on steps to honor the contributions of North Korean soldiers involved in the fighting there.
Despite Russia’s April 2025 claim of full control over Kursk Oblast, Ukraine’s army chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said Saturday that Ukrainian forces still hold ground there.
© Pool photo by Anthony Wallace
© Jun Michael Park for The New York Times
© Anthony Wallace/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images
The United Kingdom has labeled Russia as an "immediate and pressing" threat in a major strategic defense review set to be published Monday, the Guardian reported on May 31
The 130-page review, prepared by a panel of senior advisers including former NATO Secretary-General George Robertson, will reportedly highlight the "immediate and pressing" danger posed by Russia, drawing on lessons from its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
The analysis comes at a time of heightened concern across Europe over the potential for expanded conflict, as Russia continues its military buildup in Ukraine's northeastern Sumy Oblast and maintains strongholds across occupied Ukrainian territory.
British and French forces have already committed to leading a multinational "reassurance force" of up to 30,000 troops in Ukraine, should a ceasefire be reached, a prospect made uncertain by the Kremlin's continued aggression and maximalist demands.
Ukraine and Russia are expected to meet on June 2 in Istanbul after the first round of peace talks on May 16. During the first round of talks in Turkey the two sides failed to reach agreement on a 30-day ceasefire.
Ukraine had offered an immediate halt to hostilities, an all-for-all prisoner swap, and a meeting between Presidents Volodymyr Zelensky and Vladimir Putin. Russia refused, instead sending a low-level delegation.
The only decision reached during the talks was an agreement on a 1,000-for-1,000 prisoner exchange.
Alongside Russia, the review identifies China as a "sophisticated and persistent challenge," noting Beijing's growing ties with Moscow and its role in supplying critical components for Russian weapons systems.
Recently, Zelensky reportedly said that China stopped shipping drones to Ukraine and its European partners, while continues supplying them to Russia.
Ukrainian Foreign Intelligence Chief Oleh Ivashchenko alleged that Beijing provided special chemicals, gunpowder, and other defense-related materials to at least 20 Russian military-industrial facilities.
The British review is also expected to address the shrinking size of the British Army, which has dropped below 71,000 active-duty troops — its lowest strength since the Napoleonic era, the Guardian reported.
Peter Ricketts, a former national security adviser, said that while drones, cyber capabilities and artificial intelligence are crucial, "another lesson of Ukraine is that mass counts, in terms of manpower and equipment."
The report also reportedly references broader global threats posed by a "deadly quartet": Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea, who are increasingly collaborating across multiple domains. Iran has supplied drones to Russia, while North Korea have also deployed troops to aid Moscow.
The Kyiv IndependentAsami Terajima
© KCNA, via Agence France-Presse — Getty Images
A new report by the Multilateral Sanctions Monitoring Team (MSMT), published on 29 May, confirms that North Korea (DPRK) supplied at least 100 ballistic missiles, 9 million artillery shells and rockets, and over 11,000 troops to Russia, violating multiple UN Security Council’s resolutions and directly supporting Moscow’s war on Ukraine.
The report titled “Unlawful Military Cooperation including Arms Transfers between North Korea and Russia” outlines extensive cooperation between North Korea (DPRK) and Russia that breaches numerous UNSC resolutions.
“Arms transfers between the DPRK and Russia each constitute violations of the arms embargo [established under four UNSC resolutions]. Furthermore, Russia’s training of North Korean soldiers involving arms or related matériel is a violation” of four more resolutions, the report reads.
MSMT urges the international community to strengthen sanctions enforcement, share intelligence, and designate individuals and entities involved in DPRK-related violations. The report includes calls for renewed efforts to monitor, expose, and prevent North Korea-related sanctions evasion, improved maritime inspections, financial monitoring, and collaborative international efforts to curb the Moscow-Pyongyang alliance.
MSMT participating states report that over 20,000 containers of munitions have been sent from DPRK to Russia since 2023, including at least 9 million rounds of artillery and rocket ammunition. Among these were 122 mm and 152 mm shells and 122 mm rockets.
“Both the DPRK and Russia are violating the UN arms embargo on the DPRK through these transfers,” the report reads.
The shipments were delivered by sea and rail, then transported to ammunition depots in southwestern Russia, according to the report.
North Korean artillery supplies prevent Russian defeat in Ukraine, military experts warn
According to MSMT data and the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense’s Main Intelligence Directorate, North Korea has also transferred at least 100 ballistic missiles to Russia, used in strikes on Ukrainian cities including Kyiv, Kharkiv, and Zaporizhzhia. UN experts confirmed that a Hwasong-11 ballistic missile fired at Kharkiv in January 2024 originated in North Korea. Conflict Armament Research (CAR) also documented five missiles with North Korean origin in Ukrainian territory in 2024.
North Korea provides 50% of Russia’s ammunition, says Ukraine’s spymaster
The MSMT states that over 11,000 North Korean troops were deployed to Russia in late 2024. These forces were trained by Russian units in artillery, UAV operations, and trench combat. North Korean troops participated in combat in Kursk Oblast, including in Plekhovo and Malaya Loknya. Losses were reported in early 2025 near Makhnovka. DPRK confirmed the deployment in April 2025, citing the DPRK-Russia Treaty on Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
North Korean generals tied to Russia’s war in Ukraine identified at Moscow parade
In exchange for military support, Russia transferred air defense systems, including at least one Pantsir-class vehicle, and advanced electronic warfare systems to DPRK. MSMT states that Russia also provided missile telemetry data to help North Korea improve its missile accuracy.
MSMT reports confirm that North Korea received over a million barrels of refined petroleum products from Russia in 2024, breaching the annual UN-imposed cap. Additionally, Russia facilitated the employment of DPRK workers in sectors including construction, forestry, and textiles. At least 481 North Koreans were reportedly sent to Russia between December 2024 and February 2025.
North Korean defector reveals privileges for soldiers who fought against Ukraine
MSMT identified numerous vessels and aircraft used in these operations, including Russia-flagged ships like ANGARA and MARIA and military aircraft like the IL-76 and AN-124. These were used to carry arms and missile-related cargo in violation of sanctions. Many ships operated without tracking systems or insurance, indicating deceptive practices.
Russia helped DPRK circumvent financial restrictions by opening ruble accounts for North Korea at MRB Bank in South Ossetia. These accounts were used by sanctioned North Korean banks to conduct international transactions, according to the report.
Russia and North Korea have engaged in "unlawful military cooperation," including arms transfers of up to 9 million shells and "at least 100 ballistic missiles" in 2024, according to a report by the Multilateral Sanctions Monitoring Team (MSMT) published May 29.
The MSMT is made up of 11 United Nations member states and was formed in October 2024 to monitor and report on the implementation of UN sanctions against North Korea in light of deepening military ties between Moscow and Pyongyang.
The watchdog's first report presents evidence that North Korea and Russia violated United Nations Security Council resolutions (UNSCRs) and engaged in illegal activities throughout 2024.
Violations include deliveries of weapons and military equipment, Russian training of North Korean troops for deployment in direct combat against Ukrainian forces, supply of refined petroleum products to North Korea above UN-mandated caps, and correspondent banking between the two countries.
In 2024 alone, North Korea sent Russia at least 100 ballistic missiles, an MSMT participating state found. These missiles "were subsequently launched into Ukraine to destroy civilian infrastructure and terrorize populated areas such as Kyiv and Zaporizhzhia," the report said.
The Kyiv IndependentKollen Post
Russian-flagged vessels delivered "as many as 9 million rounds of mixed artillery and multiple rocket launcher ammunition" from North Korea to Russia in 49 shipments from January to December 2024, an MSMT participating state found. The cargo was sent from Russia's far-eastern ports to ammunition depots in southwestern Russia for use in the full-scale war against Ukraine.
Open-source data reviewed by the Open Source Centre (OSC) indicates that Russian vessels delivered between 4.2 and 5.8 million rounds of 122 mm and 152 mm ammunition between August 2023 and March 2025.
The report also confirmed that North Korea deployed over 11,000 soldiers to Russia's Kursk Oblast for training and combat operations against Ukrainian troops.
According to the MSMT, "these forms of unlawful cooperation ... contributed to Moscow's ability to increase its missile attacks against Ukrainian cities including targeted strikes against critical civilian infrastructure."
The MSMT also documented transfers of arms from Russia to North Korea. Moscow is believed to have sent Pyongyong short-range air defense systems, advanced electronic warfare systems, and at least one Pantsir-class combat vehicle, the report said.
Russia provided additional support to North Korea's ballistic missile development program, leading to improvements in missile guidance performance, and MSMT participating state said.
The documented arms transfers violate longstanding UN embargoes on material shipments between UN member states and North Korea.
North Korea reportedly began supplying Russia with weapons in 2023. Pyongyang's involvement in the war escalated in fall 2024, when thousands of North Korean troops were dispatched to Russia's western border. The deployment came several months after the two nations signed a defense treaty in June, requiring either state to render military aid to the other in the event of an attack.
Despite this, North Korea only publicly admitted its involvement in Russia's war against Ukraine in late April 2025. North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un said in May that his country's participation in the war was part of a "sacred mission."
Recent days have also seen a surge in Russian aerial attacks against Ukraine. For three nights in a row, Moscow barraged cities across Ukraine with drones and missiles, including ballistics. The MSMT report confirmed that Russia has attacked Ukraine with North Korean-made ballistic missiles — and that these weapons contain foreign parts provided by third-party distributors.
The Kyiv IndependentAndrea Januta
North Korea delivered massive military supplies to Russia since September 2023, South Korea’s foreign ministry reported, according to Yohnap.
The shipments include more than 20,000 containers of weapons and equipment.
The containers carried approximately 9 million rounds of artillery ammunition. They also included more than 100 ballistic missiles and over 200 heavy artillery pieces. North Korea sent anti-tank guided missiles and rockets as well.
These transfers make up enough supplies to equip three full brigades, according to the report.
The Multilateral Sanctions Monitoring Team produced the findings. This group was established in October 2024 by South Korea and the United States. It replaced the disbanded UN Panel of Experts on North Korean sanctions monitoring.
Russia used military transport aircraft to move the weapons in late 2023. The planes included three IL-76 and three AN-124 aircraft from Russia’s Transport Aviation Command, according to the report.
Russia has provided military support in return. Moscow transferred at least one Pantsir mobile air defense system to North Korea since November 2024. Russia also sent electronic warfare jamming devices and other military equipment.
The report found that Russia also gave North Korea technical support to improve North Korea’s missile guidance systems. This violates UN Security Council resolutions that Russia itself supported as a permanent member.
Russia and North Korea have strengthened their ties with a 2024 treaty during Putin’s first visit to North Korea in 24 years. It established a comprehensive strategic partnership, including a mutual defense clause, signaling closer military, economic, and political cooperation.
North Korea also deployed over 11,000 troops to Russia in 2024, which engaged in military operations against Ukrainian forces in Russia’s Kursk Oblast.
Russia delivered more than 1 million barrels of fuel to North Korea between March and October 2024. UN sanctions limit North Korea’s annual refined petroleum imports to 500,000 barrels.
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