Russia paid North Korea up to $13.8B for help fighting Ukraine, South Korean intelligence says
The Kyiv Independent • • world
Key Points:
- North Korea has reportedly earned between $7 billion and $13.8 billion by supplying weapons and soldiers to Russia, according to South Korean intelligence cited by Nikkei Asia.
- The military aid includes 152-mm artillery ammunition and KN-23 ballistic missiles, which Ukrainian intelligence noted have shown improved accuracy in combat.
- North Korea is estimated to have deployed around 10,000 special forces, 10,000 engineers, and hundreds of drone operators in Ukraine, with plans to send an additional 30,000 soldiers.
- North Korean casualties in the conflict are estimated at approximately 6,000 killed or wounded as of February.
- In April, during a visit by Russian Defense Minister Andrei Belousov, North Korea opened a museum honoring its soldiers who have died fighting in Ukraine.