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North Korea has supplied Russia with more than twice fewer artillery shells in 2025 compared to last year, indicating that Pyongyang’s stockpiles are being depleted.
This was reported by Vadym Skibitskyi, Deputy Head of Ukraine’s Defence Intelligence, in a comment to Reuters, UATV English reports.
Since 2023, North Korea has delivered a total of 6.5 million artillery shells to Russia, but intelligence recorded no shipments in September 2025.
In October, several deliveries resumed, but around half of the shells were so outdated that they required refurbishment at Russian factories.
“They are learning, analyzing their experience [in this war] to expand production on their own territory,”
— Skibitskyi said.
He added that North Korea has launched mass production of small FPV drones and larger mid-range strike UAVs.
Western media first reported in November 2023 that Pyongyang had supplied Russia with over one million artillery shells, enough for roughly two months of shelling.
Ukrainian intelligence later confirmed that Russia has been receiving 122 mm and 152 mm shells, as well as Grad MLRS rockets, from North Korea since mid-2023.
The Ukrainian General Staff noted that many North Korean shells provided to Russia explode even before leaving the barrel.
