Reuters has cited a UK-based open-source analysis firm to claim that Russia's military is now relying almost on entirely on artillery shells produced and supplied by North Korea along the Ukrainian front.

"Between September 2023 and March 2025, four Russian-flagged vessels made 64 trips transporting nearly 16,000 containers from North Korea to Russian ports, according to satellite data analyzed by the U.K.-based Open Source Center (OSC)," the Tuesday report said. "The organization estimates the shipments included between 4 million and 6 million artillery shells."

In 2023, when US intelligence and Western allies began calling out alleged North Korean ammo transfers to Russia, the Kremlin rejected the allegations at the time, saying there was "no proof" of such activity.

But since then it's become clear that North Korea has actively contributed to Russia's military needs, including sending some 10,000 DPRK troops to assist Russian troops in retaking Kursk territory, on Russian soil.

War analysts have long acknowledged that Russian forces are able to fire at a rate of some ten times more than the Ukrainians along front line positions. This despite Europe and the US over years donating billions worth of weaponry and ammo to Kiev.

This also ties into Ukraine's recent assertions saying that there is an 'axis' of enemies it is fighting back:

“Without help from the DPRK, the Russian army shelling of Ukrainian defensive positions would have been cut in half,” Ukraine’s military intelligence agency GUR told Reuters.

“Without Chairman Kim Jong Un’s support, President Vladimir Putin wouldn’t really be able to prosecute his war in Ukraine,” added Hugh Griffiths, the former coordinator of the UN panel monitoring North Korea sanctions.

Starting last summer, Western media began highlighting that North Korea was sending containers to Russia that could hold as many as 4.8 million artillery shells. And specifically South Korean Defense Minister Shin Won-sik made the first such accusation in an June interview with Bloomberg.

Seoul's intelligence services spotted at least 10,000 containers being shipped from North Korea to Russia, according to Won-sik. Pyongyang has also sent dozens of ballistic missiles, reportedly for use against Ukraine.

In exchange for the ordnance Russia is allegedly giving North Korea oil, satellite technology as well as tech to improve their tanks and aircraft.  North Korea's cheap labor, while ethically abhorrent in nature, is proving useful in the fast manufacture of weapons.

Critics argue that artillery coming from North Korea is "substandard" and far less advanced than western produced artillery, leading to a decrease in effect on target. However, 5 million rounds is an incredible arsenal regardless of technology - and more than enough boom to support a large-scale ground offensive.