How North Korea is boosting Russia’s arsenal against Ukraine

A new UN report says North Korea has sent 20,000 containers of weapons to Russia. These shipments break UN sanctions and have been used in the war against Ukraine.

The Multilateral Sanctions Monitoring Team, made up of 11 countries including the US, UK, Japan, and EU states, released the findings. The group was formed in 2024 to keep track of sanctions on North Korea due to its nuclear weapons program.

The report says the containers included at least 100 ballistic missiles, self-propelled artillery guns, rocket launchers, and around nine million rounds of ammunition. These weapons were later used by Russia in attacks on Ukrainian cities like Kyiv and Zaporizhzhia.

The team also found that North Korea sent around 11,000 soldiers to fight for Russia as mercenaries.

In return for the weapons, North Korea asked for Russia’s help with its satellite program. Russia is also believed to have sent warships to North Korea. One of these ships was damaged during its launch.

The growing military cooperation between the two countries was discussed during a 2024 meeting between North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and Russian President Vladimir Putin. During this visit, they signed a mutual defense agreement. The arms-sharing deal likely followed soon after.

The UN report says the two countries plan to continue working together in ways that go against UN resolutions. Their support for each other is helping Russia carry out more missile attacks on Ukraine, including on key infrastructure.

The report also warns that North Korea and Russia are likely to deepen this cooperation in the near future.

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