North Korean Weapons Surface on Ukrainian Frontlines as Russia Deepens Military TiesKyiv/Moscow

, July 12, 2025 — Ukrainian intelligence has revealed that Russia is deploying an unusual array of North Korean-made weapons in its ongoing war against Ukraine, marking a dramatic escalation in the military partnership between Moscow and Pyongyang.
According to Kyrylo Budanov, head of Ukraine’s military intelligence, North Korea now supplies up to 40% of Russia’s ammunition used in the conflict, including ballistic missiles, artillery systems, and millions of rounds of munitions. Among the most striking revelations is the use of North Korean Type 75 and M1991 multiple rocket launchers, which have been spotted and destroyed by Ukrainian forces in eastern Ukraine.
Security analysts suggest that North Korea is leveraging the war to test its conventional weapons and gain real combat experience through proxy deployment. Ukrainian officials report that 60% of recent intelligence unit casualties were caused by artillery fire from North Korean-made systems.
The partnership intensified following the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Treaty signed by President Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong Un in June 2024. In exchange for weapons, North Korea is reportedly receiving financial aid, food supplies, and advanced military technology, including air defense systems and missile guidance data.
Western intelligence agencies and UN watchdogs have expressed alarm over the scale of cooperation. A recent multilateral report estimates that over 100 ballistic missiles and up to 9 million rounds of ammunition were transferred from North Korea to Russia in 2024 alone.
The United Nations has condemned the arms transfers as violations of international sanctions, warning that the alliance could destabilize both European and Indo-Pacific security.
As Russia continues to rely on foreign military support, the presence of North Korean weapons on Ukrainian soil underscores the global dimensions of the conflict — and the growing strategic convergence between two of the world’s most isolated regimes.