100 Ballistic Missiles, Rocket Launchers. What N Korea Gave Russia: Report

Between September 2023 and December 2024 North Korea gave Russia over 100 ballistic missiles and as much as nine million rounds of ammunition to support various weapons systems, including artillery shells and rockets, for use in Moscow's war against Ukraine, an 11-member international watchdog monitoring sanctions against Pyongyang said Thursday.

The missiles and military support, which included deployment of 14,000 soldiers and three heavy artillery units, helped Moscow "terrorise" Ukraine and "destroy civilian infrastructure and populated areas like Kyiv and Zaporizhzhia", the Multilateral Sanctions Monitoring Team said.

In return, the MSMT report said, Moscow may have supplied Pyongyang with advanced electronic warfare systems and at least one Pantsir, which is a mobile air defence system designed to target aircraft, cruise missiles, precision munitions, and UAVs, or unmanned aerial vehicles.

Arms transfers both ways were conducted under the cover of Russian cargo ships.

Moscow also supported Pyongyang's missile development programme by sharing data from ballistic missiles used to destroy civilian targets in Kyiv and other cities, the report said.

And North Korea has also been supplied with refined petroleum products, which helps Russia bypass financial sanctions imposed to stifle funding to further its war on Ukraine.

That North Korea has supplied Russia with soldiers had been confirmed earlier, and that it had also provided weapons and munitions had been inferred in 2024 from American intelligence.

READ | N Korea Gave Russia Missiles, Launchers Amid Ukraine War: US

In September 2024 South Korean intelligence made the same inference.

READ | Russia Gave North Korea Anti-Air Missiles In Exchange For Troops: S Korea

The MSMT report, however, emphasises the scale of transfers that "marks a dangerous expansion of the war". Violations of United Nations Security Council Resolutions on North Korea and Russia individually, and on military cooperation between the two, have been flagged.

North Korea has been under a UN arms embargo since it tested a nuclear bomb in 2006.

The UN Security Council Resolutions, in fact, were passed with approval from Russia.

The two have, though, strengthened military ties since the invasion of Ukraine, signing a Treaty on Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in June 2024, when Vladimir Putin visited N Korea.

Article 4 of that treaty specifies the provision of military assistance if either nation is "put in a state of war by an armed invasion", in line, ironically, with sections of the UN Charter.

Neither Russia nor N Korea have responded to the MSMT report as yet.

READ | "Never Happened": North Korea Denies Claims It Supplies Arms To Russia

Both have formally denied any transfer of arms.

What Is The MSMT?

The MSMT is the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, and South Korea, and was set up in October 2024.

It was formed after Russia last year vetoed renewing a United Nations-appointed panel of experts that had been monitoring implementation and violations of sanctions against N Korea.

Its 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, and photographs of North Korean weapons systems being transported through Russia.

The report cited information from UK-based Conflict Armament Research and Open Source Centre, as well as findings from member states.

Weapons From N Korea To Russia

Arms transfers from North Korea to Russia since late 2023 (Moscow's invasion began February 2022) has consisted of "over 20,000 containers of munitions and related material... including 82mm, 122mm, 130mm, 152mm, and 170mm munitions to support various weapons systems... "

Photo from MSMT report dated May 29, 2025

"Russian-flagged cargo vessels delivered as many as nine million rounds of mixed artillery and multiple rocket launcher ammunition... in 49 shipments from January 1 to mid-December 2024."

According to open source information cited by the MSMT, Russian ships also delivered up to six million rounds of ammo - artillery shells and rockets - between August 2023 and March 2024.

Debris from these and other North Korea-provided munitions, have been recovered from missiles that hit Ukraine cities, including Kharkiv in January 2024 and Bila Tserkva, Vitrova Balka, and Rozhivka in August 2024. Kyiv has said about a third of recent missile strikes involve N Korean weapons.

Photo from MSMT report dated May 29, 2025

Transfer of the Hwasong-11 series ballistic missile is in violation of another UN Security Council Resolution. In fact, Pyongyang is banned from any activity to do with ballistic missiles.

Intel from a participating MSMT state also indicated Moscow had trained North Korean troops and deployed them to the Kursk Oblast, where "they began engaging in combat operations..."

"Web Of Illicit Activity"

Overall, the MSMT has claimed "a myriad unlawful activities" between the two countries.

These reportedly include Russia helping North Korean evade scrutiny from the Financial Action Task Force, the global anti-terror funding watchdog. The FATF, incidentally, has been re-approached by India over Pakistan continuing to fund cross-border terrorism.

The watchdog has warned the global community the fact that Russia and N Korea have defied, and continue to defy, sanctions indicates a new challenge for enforcement of international law.

It has offered a list of eight recommendations to counter the emerging alliance and violation of sanctions, including monitoring of financial transactions (the FATF's remit) and increased inspection of movement of 'designated people' to and from the two countries.

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