Reuters and OSC: Russia heavily reliant on North Korean ammunition

Moscow is almost entirely dependent on North Korean ammunition in its ongoing war against Ukraine, according to a joint investigation by Reuters and the British Open Source Center (OSC). 

Over the past 20 months, Pyongyang has supplied Moscow with at least 4 million artillery shells, which are being used in Europe’s bloodiest ground war, already in its fourth year.

The investigation drew on a wide range of sources – including satellite imagery, intercepted artillery logs, verified social media footage, and interviews with high-ranking Ukrainian officials and military sources.

The investigation also analyzed sea and land shipments between Russia and North Korea.

“The Reuters investigation shows the extent of Russia’s reliance upon North Korean shells on the battlefield, which helped it pursue a war of attrition that Ukraine has struggled to match,” the text reads.

The supplies from North Korea are large, consistent, and significantly bolster Russia’s military capabilities. 

OSC analysts tracked 64 shipments from the Rajin port in North Korea to Russian ports, Vostochny and Dunai, from September 2023 to March 2025. These shipments were made by four Russian container ships – Angara, Maria, Maia-1 and Lady R.

These shipments delivered nearly 16,000 containers of ammunition, including artillery shells. The cargo was then transported by rail to warehouses near the Ukrainian border.

“It’s not possible to verify the ammunition inside each shipping container, but OSC estimated what it called a conservative range of 4-6 million artillery rounds alone, based on Ukraine’s assessment of their prevalence and probable packing patterns,” the text reads.

North Korea has also supplied Russia with multiple-launch rocket systems, self-propelled artillery, and ballistic missiles.

“The flow of arms combined with North Korean manpower gave Russia a critical battlefield advantage, the investigation found, offering a new look into the growing partnership between two sanctioned countries,” the text reads.

Last year, the majority of artillery shells used by Russian units came from North Korea. On some days, all the artillery ammunition used was of North Korean origin, and on other days, up to 75 percent was sourced from there.

Follow this link for the full investigation.