The Russian Ministry of Defence recently showcased footage depicting the operational deployment of the 9K55 “Grad-1” multiple rocket launcher system, which utilized North Korean 122mm rockets.
Reports suggest a significant acquisition of artillery munitions from North Korea by the Russian military to fulfill their strategic requirements.
In December 2022, the White House officially confirmed North Korea’s provision of armaments to units within the Russian armed forces engaged in Ukraine.
Satellite surveillance has observed the movement of thousands of containers from North Korea to Russia, indicating the scale of this assistance.
South Korean intelligence estimates indicate that around 2,000 containers, comprising military equipment and ammunition, were shipped from the North Korean port of Rajin to Vladivostok in Russia’s Far East.
This figure surpasses previous U.S. claims, based on satellite imagery captured in September, by a thousand containers.
This volume is believed to be capable of accommodating over 200,000 units of 122mm artillery projectiles or more than 1 million 152mm projectiles.
Aside from 122mm rockets, North Korea may have supplied other armaments to Russia, including T-series tank munitions, anti-tank guided missiles, missile launchers, rifles, machine guns, and potentially, short-range ballistic missiles.