The Voice News: A multinational sanctions monitoring team has revealed that Russian forces have intensified missile attacks on Ukrainian cities using weapons supplied by North Korea, devastating civilian infrastructure and terrorizing entire populations.
The team, composed of representatives from 11 countries including the United States, the United Kingdom, EU member states, and Japan, reported that North Korea has illegally shipped more than 20,000 container loads of missiles, artillery, rocket launchers, and other munitions to Russia since September 2023.
Their findings highlight a growing military cooperation between Moscow and Pyongyang that violates multiple United Nations sanctions resolutions. In June 2024, Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un signed a strategic partnership treaty pledging mutual support if either country is attacked.
The monitoring team’s first report since its establishment in 2024 also disclosed that nearly nine million rounds of artillery and rocket ammunition have been transferred from North Korea to Russia. These weapons have been used in sustained missile strikes on Ukrainian cities such as Kyiv and Zaporizhzhia, targeting critical civilian infrastructure.
North Korea is reportedly seeking Russian assistance with its troubled spy satellite program in exchange for military aid, including the deployment of thousands of North Korean soldiers to fight in Ukraine. The report estimates around 11,000 North Korean troops were sent last year, with an additional 3,000 reinforcements arriving recently.
Arms shipments from North Korea to Russia have been transported by sea, air, and rail, and include ballistic missiles, self-propelled artillery, and long-range multiple rocket launchers. The report notes that Russian assistance has helped improve North Korea’s missile guidance systems by providing data feedback from the battlefield.
Moscow has also supplied North Korea with air defense equipment, anti-aircraft missiles, and electronic warfare technology, further deepening their military collaboration.
The joint report warns that this cooperation will likely continue and escalate, posing a serious threat to regional and global security. The revelation has heightened concerns in South Korea and among international officials.
Kim Jong-un and Vladimir Putin recently acknowledged North Korea’s troop involvement in Ukraine, praising them as “heroes,” marking the first official confirmation of North Korean military participation in the conflict.