North Korea sends 12M+ shells to Russia
Shafaq News – Seoul
North Korea has delivered more than 12 million rounds of 152mm artillery shells to Russia in support of its war in Ukraine, according to South Korea's Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA).
Yonhap News Agency, citing DIA data, reported Sunday that Pyongyang has sent approximately 28,000 containers filled with ammunition and conventional weapons. Based on standard load calculations, the shipments include more than 12 million shells.
Since October 2024, South Korean intelligence has tracked the arrival of roughly 13,000 North Korean personnel in Russia, with additional deployments expected in July or August. Russian media reported plans to dispatch 5,000 North Korean construction workers and 1,000 combat engineers to the Kursk region, heavily damaged during Ukraine's 2023 counteroffensive.
Previous accounts suggest North Korean units have already operated in western Russia to help reclaim lost territory.
These developments follow a high-level meeting in Wonsan, where North Korean leader Kim Jong Un pledged 'unconditional support' for Moscow during talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
Lavrov also met with North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui to strengthen military and strategic coordination, framing the relationship as a growing alliance between two isolated regimes.
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