Russia struggles with innovation, lacks time in weapons development — military expert

He shared these insights on Espreso TV.

"When discussing Russian reserves of Soviet equipment, analysts agree that the most combat-ready arsenals of armored vehicles, tanks, and especially artillery are nearly depleted. Russian artillery has suffered significant losses on the front lines. They can’t fully restore old artillery reserves since all functioning self-propelled guns and other artillery have been sent for repairs. Right now, Russia doesn’t have the time or capability to produce anything new. That’s why cooperation with North Korea for artillery and ammunition has been very beneficial for Russia," Zgurets explained.

He also noted that Russia is counting on ballistic missile supplies from North Korea. Last year, North Korea delivered 150 KN-23 missiles to Russia, with 148 more scheduled for delivery in 2025.

North Korea continues to support Russia with a substantial supply of artillery shells. Additionally, they plan to deliver 120 Koksan self-propelled guns within the next three months. These guns have a caliber of up to 170 mm, bringing the total to 240 units of large-caliber self-propelled guns. This is a significant amount.

"Russia is also counting on more ballistic missiles from North Korea. Last year, they received 150 such missiles. This year, according to Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence, North Korea plans to send 148 more KN-23 missiles," he added.

• On February 12, Ukraine’s Armed Forces General Staff reported that on the Russian-Ukrainian front, the occupying Russian army lost at least 1,150 soldiers and multiple pieces of equipment and weapons in a single day.