Two guards stand underneath portraits of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and Russian President Vladimir Putin during a welcome ceremony during Putin’s visit to Pyongyang on June 19, 2024. Gavriil Grigorov/AFP/POOL/Getty Images
| Published May 31, 2025
The 30-page report contained analysis of Hwasong-11A short-range ballistic missile debris from Ukraine, as well as information about recovered rocket launcher ammunition and anti-tank missiles.
A recent report by the Multilateral Sanctions Monitoring Team (MSMT), comprising 11 nations including the United States, United Kingdom, and Japan, has unveiled extensive military cooperation between North Korea and Russia, in violation of United Nations sanctions. The report details North Korea’s provision of over 100 Hwasong-11A short-range ballistic missiles, approximately nine million rounds of ammunition, and the deployment of 14,000 soldiers to support Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine. Weapon Transfers and Battlefield Impact
Russia made use of North Korean munitions to ramp up its attacks against Ukraine, the Multilateral Sanctions Monitoring Team found.
Between September 2023 and December 2024, North Korea supplied Russia with a significant arsenal, including:
-
Over 100 Hwasong-11A ballistic missiles
-
Approximately nine million rounds of artillery and rocket ammunition
-
Anti-tank missiles and rocket launchers
-
Deployment of 14,000 soldiers, including three heavy artillery units
These weapons have been utilized in Russian attacks on Ukrainian cities such as Kyiv and Zaporizhzhia, contributing to the destruction of civilian infrastructure and loss of life.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korea’s leader Kim Jong Un signed a military alliance partnership last summer.AP
Reciprocal Support from Russia
In exchange for North Korea’s military assistance, Russia has reportedly provided Pyongyang with:
-
Advanced electronic warfare systems
-
At least one Pantsir air defense system
-
Refined petroleum products
-
Technical support for missile development, including sharing performance data from missiles used in Ukraine
These exchanges have been conducted covertly, often using Russian cargo ships to transport the materials.
Strategic Partnership and Global Implications
The military cooperation between North Korea and Russia was formalized in June 2024 with the signing of a Treaty on Comprehensive Strategic Partnership during President Vladimir Putin’s visit to Pyongyang. This alliance has raised significant concerns among the international community, as it undermines global non-proliferation efforts and violates multiple UN Security Council resolutions.
The MSMT report emphasizes that this partnership not only escalates the conflict in Ukraine but also enables North Korea to enhance its military capabilities through battlefield experience and technical support. The international community faces the challenge of addressing these violations and preventing further destabilization resulting from this alliance.
Russia has fired ever-larger missile and drone barrages at Ukraine in recent weeks.REUTERS
In exchange for men and ammunition, Russia provided North Korea with military weapons, including a Pantsir surface-to-air missile defense system.LightRocket via Getty Images
The implications of North Korea’s military support to Russia amid the Ukraine war are far-reaching and deeply concerning on multiple levels—geopolitical, military, and humanitarian. Here’s a breakdown:
1. Geopolitical Realignment
-
Axis of autocracies: The strengthened alliance between North Korea and Russia signals a shift toward a more consolidated bloc of authoritarian regimes willing to openly defy international norms.
-
China’s balancing act: China’s position becomes more delicate as it maintains ties with both parties but tries to avoid direct sanction violations or provoking Western allies.
2. Violation of UN Sanctions
-
North Korea’s arms transfers and troop deployment directly breach multiple UN Security Council resolutions, weakening the authority and effectiveness of global sanctions regimes.
-
Russia’s involvement in these violations suggests a growing willingness to dismiss international law when politically or militarily convenient.
3. Escalation of the Ukraine War
-
North Korean ballistic missiles and artillery are not just symbolic; they increase Russia’s ability to sustain its offensive, especially as Western aid to Ukraine has at times been delayed.
-
This prolongs the war and increases civilian casualties, as North Korean-supplied weapons have been used in urban strikes.
4. Nuclear and Missile Proliferation Risks
-
Russia reportedly shared missile performance data and technology with Pyongyang, which could accelerate North Korea’s long-range missile development.
-
This data exchange gives North Korea valuable field-testing information it otherwise couldn’t gather due to its limited testing environment.
5. Humanitarian and Ethical Concerns
-
Deploying 14,000 North Korean soldiers to fight abroad raises questions about forced labor, human rights abuses, and the ethics of exporting troops to foreign conflicts.
-
It exposes North Korean personnel to modern warfare experience, potentially strengthening Pyongyang’s military capabilities at home.
6. Strained International Response
-
The West faces a dilemma: how to respond firmly without pushing Russia, North Korea, and potentially China into closer cooperation.
-
It may lead to expanded sanctions, but enforcement remains a challenge, especially when covert arms shipments are involved.
Overall Takeaway:
The deepening military alliance between North Korea and Russia marks a dangerous turning point in global security dynamics. It not only escalates the war in Ukraine but also undermines the international sanctions system, boosts North Korea’s weapons development, and signals a bolder alignment of authoritarian regimes against Western influence. This cooperation destabilizes efforts to contain rogue states and may embolden future violations of global norms if not met with a coordinated and firm international response.
SOURCES: NDTV WORLD – 100 Ballistic Missiles, Rocket Launchers. What N Korea Gave Russia: Report
CNN – 14,000 troops, 100 ballistic missiles and millions of munitions: What North Korea has sent to Russia, report finds
THE NEW YORK POST – North Korea shipped minions, munitions to Russia — here’s what the hermit state got in return
THE WALL STREET JOURNAL – North Korea Sent Missiles and Other Arms to Russia in Violation of Sanctions, U.S. and Allies Say
