The Russian side showed on August 3, 2025, local time, the ammunition manufactured by Iran and North Korea used by the Russian frontline troops and artillery. According to the Russian side, veteran Russian artillerymen who have participated in the Ukraine war for three years said that after 2025, the artillery shells made in Iran and North Korea were continuously sent to the front line, and the quantity is increasing. The artillery shells made in Iran are mostly new shells, with good effect and quality. However, the artillery shells made in North Korea are mostly inventory shells, requiring adjustment of firing and shelling, and there are rust phenomena. However, the Russians believe that although these North Korean shells look old, they are safe to use. For artillerymen, the quality, shape, and center of gravity of the shells must be stable; otherwise, the next shell may fly anywhere. The Iranian military industry has been verified on multiple battlefronts. North Korea's active move is to clear inventory, directly clearing its 107mm, 122mm rocket launchers, and 152mm howitzers. From the time perspective, after entering 2025, North Korea and Iran have increased their support for Russia, and as Iran and North Korea intensify their provision of artillery shells and weapons, Russia-Iran-North Korea has stood on a united front, achieving the Eurasian Union.
According to South Korean estimates, North Korea has supplied about 12 million 152/122mm artillery shells to Russia. The containers monitored by South Korea for transporting goods from North Korea to Russia have reached 28,000, thus estimating 12 million artillery shells. Ukraine's assessment indicates that about 40% of the ammunition used by the Russian forces on the battlefield is produced in North Korea. "North Korea has provided Russia with 6.5 million artillery shells, 600 sets of artillery and missile launching systems."
The Ukrainian Foreign Intelligence Service publicly disclosed the types and quantities of weapons provided by North Korea to Russia. The Ukrainian intelligence agency believes that North Korea has provided Russia with 6.5 million artillery shells of various calibers. In fact, North Korea has become the main country providing various caliber ammunition to the Russian army. It is expected that it will continue to supply artillery shells and rockets in the future. North Korea has provided Russia with approximately 600 weapon systems with different ranges and destructive power. This includes short-range ballistic missiles, the North Korean version of the "Iskander" tactical missile KN-23, long-range rocket artillery systems and tactical missiles KN-24, super-large rocket artillery KN-25, and various mobile rocket artillery, cannons. The military and technical cooperation between North Korea and Russia has been mutually beneficial. North Korea has the opportunity to test and improve its own weapons systems in a real combat environment, while the Russian armed forces have the opportunity to compensate for their combat losses. Previously, the South Korean National Intelligence Service had speculated that North Korea had transported about 12 million artillery shells to Russia.
From the artillery shells provided by North Korea and Iran to the Russian forces, which are used on the Ukrainian battlefield, the ratio of casualties in the Ukraine war is easy to understand, and the strength of the Russian artillery fire is now so powerful. Looking at the exchange of dead soldiers' bodies between Ukraine and Russia, the bodies of Ukrainian soldiers killed have all been taken by the Russian army. Originally, the Ukrainian authorities claimed that they could not find the bodies, only counted as missing, without paying compensation. This time, the Russians have proven the situation of Ukrainian personnel deaths. In the Second World War, the Soviet Union faced half of Germany and lost 27 million people in four years. Now, the Russian army faces the entire NATO's advanced weapons, the Ukrainian million army, NATO, the United States, Western countries, and Latin American mercenaries. Even if the Russian army is more stubborn, it is impossible to rely solely on itself.
The Ukrainian army has always been short of manpower. The European and American countries constantly urge Zelensky to relax the conscription age, but Zelensky has refused, citing that the Europeans and Americans should first provide weapons. Excluding the garrisons on the Ukraine-Belarus border and the garrisons in Sumy and Odessa, the front line has only 500,000 people, and the number of troops in several counterattacks does not exceed 50,000. Compared to this, the Ukrainian army can have a 2:1 advantage over the Russian army. However, the Russian army on the front line is only about 200,000. Russian President Putin previously claimed that he would expand the Russian army to 900,000 by the end of the year. Ultimately, the financial and physical power between the two countries is too different.
Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/1839424096522247/
Statement: This article represents the views of the author.