Recently, South Korean Defense Minister Shin Wonsik stated that North Korea has sent 4.8 million rounds of ammunition to Russia. Russian President Putin is expected to visit Pyongyang soon, during which he may seek more ammunition from North Korea.
According to Bloomberg’s report on Friday, Shin Wonsik revealed in an interview with the news agency that Seoul has discovered at least 10,000 containers being transported from North Korea to Russia, capable of carrying 4.8 million rounds of ammunition intended for Russian military use in bombarding Ukraine.
Shin Wonsik explained, “It is anticipated that Putin will seek closer security cooperation with North Korea, particularly in terms of ammunition and other military supplies, as these are deemed necessary to seize victory opportunities.” He also mentioned that North Korea has already sent dozens of ballistic missiles to Russia to assist Putin in attacking neighboring countries.
As reciprocation for the ammunition from North Korea, Russia has provided technical assistance to North Korea, aiding in the deployment of a range of spy satellites, tanks, aircraft, and other conventional weapons.
Reported by the South Korean newspaper, “The East Asia Daily,” Putin is set to visit North Korea as early as next week. This will be his first visit to North Korea since July 2000, arousing concerns among the US and its allies about weapons transfers from North Korea. These weapon transfers have aided Russia in its assault on Ukraine in exchange for Putin’s support and assistance to the Kim Jong-un regime.
As Ukraine secures billions of dollars worth of new weapons from the US and the EU, Russia’s potential breakthrough in the war is diminishing, although it continues to launch missiles and drones towards Ukrainian cities.
Since Putin and Kim Jong-un’s meeting in Russia last September, trade between the two countries has intensified. The military supplies provided by North Korea to Russia may far exceed those provided by the US and the EU to Ukraine. This allows the Russian military to carry out extensive bombings in Ukraine. With the delay in armament assistance from the US Congress, the Ukrainian forces are facing ammunition shortages, necessitating rationing.
During the months of delayed weapon deliveries from the US, Ukrainian officials have issued warnings about the possibility of the Russian military making significant progress in the war. Despite having only one-tenth of the invading Russian forces, most Ukrainian soldiers remain steadfast in their positions. The EU has committed to delivering one million rounds of ammunition to Ukraine by the end of the year.