North Korean support shifts balance in ukraine conflict
In an interview with Lex Friedman, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky compared North Korea's aid to Russia to the support Ukraine receives from its allies. The figures are embarrassing for the West regarding deliveries such as artillery ammunition. Support from Pyongyang for Moscow is also a concern for U.S. intelligence.
In the conversation with the American podcaster, several issues related to the ongoing war were discussed. Zelensky emphasised that support from North Korea for Russia continues to grow, resulting in several thousand North Korean soldiers being sent to the Kursk region, which Ukrainians will have attacked by the end of 2024. The President of Ukraine noted that he does not expect similar actions from NATO, but in terms of assistance with weapons and ammunition transfers, the situation ought to be better than it currently is.
They give Russia more than all of Europe gives Ukraine
Zelensky's words suggest that in 2024, European allies provided Ukraine with around one million 155 mm artillery shells. Even with Ukrainian-produced shells included, this did not match what North Korea offered Russia, which handed over approximately 3.7 million artillery shells to Putin's army over the past year.
Moreover, assistance from Europe regarding 155 mm artillery ammunition was delayed. In 2023, the EU promised to deliver Ukraine one million such shells by spring 2024. In reality, due to production problems, only about half arrived by then, with the intended goal reached only in November 2024. Some allies still have not fulfilled their promises regarding Patriot systems, made to Ukraine at the NATO summit in Washington in July 2024.
Increasing support for Russia
155 mm shells are crucial for the Ukrainian army because they are used in NATO artillery systems, many of which have been sent to the front in support of the defenders' army. This includes, among others, Krab self-propelled gun-howitzers from Poland, CAESAR from France, and Panzerhaubitze 2000 (PzH 2000) from Germany. For the Russians, however, the most important are the 122 mm and 152 mm calibre shells, which is exactly the support Pyongyang provides to Moscow.
In the initial months of the war in Ukraine, Russia's biggest ally mainly supplied it with ammunition, but in the ensuing months, support increased systematically. As a result, in 2024, this also included the earlier mentioned soldiers directed to the Kursk region, as well as heavy military equipment.
According to U.S. intelligence data, North Korea has already delivered over 100 different types of artillery systems to Russia, including multiple rocket launchers and M1989 "Koksan" systems, which use 170 mm calibre guns. The technical condition of the equipment is unknown, but according to official data, the M1989 "Koksan" can hit targets as far as approximately 50 kilometres away.
