Espreso. Global

Russia's main allies in war against Ukraine: what they supply to Russian army

19 September, 2024 Thursday
13:35

Ukrainian military expert Oleksandr Kovalenko says Iran and North Korea have long supplied Russia with weapons, with Belarus being the first to offer military aid

client/title.list_title

Military and political observer Oleksandr Kovalenko shared his analysis in an article for the joint project of OBOZ.UA and the Information Resistance group.

Belarus

According to Kovalenko, in 2022, during the failed rapid takeover of Ukraine, Russia quickly faced a severe shortage of ammunition and equipment due to its underutilized defense industry.

Belarus was the first country not only to directly support the invasion of Ukraine from its territory but also to facilitate the supply of ammunition and equipment to Russia. Specifically, Belarusian authorities granted Russian troops access to the 1405, 1398, 1886, and 25, 43, 46 storage depots, allowing Russia to export over 70,000 tons of ammunition and military equipment from Belarusian territory in 2022.

Russian troops have taken at least 100 T-72A tanks from the 969th Tank Reserve Base, artillery including self-propelled guns and howitzers from the 1868th Arsenal in Gomel, and over fifty KamAZ and Ural trucks from the 288th Automotive Reserve Base.

Belarus played a crucial role in helping Russia mitigate its losses in Ukraine and restore its military-industrial complex, preventing a more significant frontline failure.

Iran

“After Belarus, Iran became the second country to supply weapons to Russia. Although Iran is primarily noted for supplying Shahed-136 kamikaze drones, it has been providing Moscow with other types of weaponry since 2022,” military expert emphasizes.

To date, it is known that Russia receives the following Iranian-made military goods:

  • UAVs: Mohajer-6, Shahed-131, Shahed-136
  • Aerial Bombs: Ghaem-5
  • Helmets: NIJ II
  • Body Armor: Rouin-3
  • ATGMs: Dehlaviyeh
  • Ammunition: 152-mm for D-20, 130-mm for M-46, 122-mm for D-30
  • MLRS: 122-mm rounds

Russian forces began actively using Iranian munitions in late 2022 and early 2023. While these supplies helped alleviate the ammunition shortage in combat zones, they did not fully resolve the issue. In 2023, efforts were significantly increased to persuade North Korea to support Russia in military-technical cooperation.

DPRK

In 2023, Moscow and Pyongyang finalized ammunition supply agreements during meetings in July and a September summit between Kim Jong Un and Vladimir Putin. Shipments of Soviet-caliber ammunition began arriving in Russia shortly afterward.

Supplies from North Korea to Russia were conducted via sea routes using container ships. According to South Korean intelligence, the first wave of shipments consisted of 5,000 40-foot containers, potentially corresponding to up to 1 million 152mm shells with powder charges or 2-2.5 million rounds of 152mm, 112mm, and other calibers.

Since 2023, a significant number of North Korean munitions have been verified in Ukraine. This includes 152mm and 122mm artillery shells, first verified in October 2023, and 122mm rockets for BM-21 Grad systems. Additionally, Russian forces received a large number of 120mm mines for mortar units.

In January, it was confirmed that North Korea supplied Russia with KN-23 ballistic missiles, a precise copy of Russia's 9M723 Iskander missiles, with this confirmation coming from an attack on Kharkiv.

At the beginning of 2024, South Korean intelligence warned of renewed North Korean arms shipments to Russia, reporting the dispatch of 10,000 containers or about 5 million munitions.

By late winter to early spring 2024, Russian forces began using North Korean 130mm artillery shells for Soviet M-46 howitzers, which have greater range compared to most Russian artillery and are used for counter-battery fire.

Kovalenko notes that Iran and the DPRK are among the largest operators of the M-46 and have both 130-mm production and sufficient stockpiles.

Recent reports indicate that North Korea may have supplied Russia with a batch of Bulsae-5 anti-tank missile systems, which are derived from the Russian Kornet system. While confirmation of these systems being received by Russian forces is still pending, their arrival is significant given the current severe shortage of anti-tank missiles experienced by Russia.

“Currently, Iran and North Korea are Russia's most reliable military-technical partners, predominantly supplying ammunition while refraining from transferring equipment, despite Moscow's requests. Belarus is the sole country providing military hardware to Russia at this time. However, this does not preclude the potential for Russia to receive military equipment from Iran and North Korea in the future, particularly as stockpiles diminish and pressure on Russia’s military capabilities increases,” the military expert concludes.

Tags:
Read also:
  • News
2024, Saturday
21 December
19:45
Exclusive
NATO troops in Ukraine will prevent Putin's next invasion - opposition politician Feygin
19:26
Exclusive
Russian troops desperate to cross Dnipro River in Kherson region at any cost - Ukrainian colonel
19:08
Russia ramps up aircraft shelter construction to counter Ukrainian drone attacks
18:47
Russian forces attempt to cross Dnipro River in southern Ukraine every day
18:30
Russian forces fine residents of occupied Luhansk region for 'abortion propaganda'
18:09
110 combat clashes occur on Russian-Ukrainian front: heaviest fighting in Kursk region
17:54
Poland donates three Mi-8, Bell 412-HP helicopters to Ukraine
17:31
OPINION
Ending war: fewer scenarios remain
17:12
Russia deploys over 550 guided bombs, 550 UAVs, 20 missiles to attack Ukraine this week - Zelenskyy
16:53
Exclusive
Russia intends to negotiate without ceasefire, says opposition politician
16:34
Ukraine's Armed Forces form unit to protect cultural heritage
16:20
Updated
Drones attack elite high-rise buildings in Russia's Kazan, explosions heard at gunpowder plant
16:16
Ukraine approves Wolly remote-controlled combat module for use in army
15:57
OPINION
Crimea: panic among 'relocated residents' becomes key negotiation tool
15:35
Exclusive
Ukrainian forces face repeated tactical traps since 2022, encirclement looms near Kurakhove
15:13
Russian units in Ukraine’s Kherson report sabotage, suicides
14:54
OPINION
Russia can be destroyed by local barons
14:32
EU hits record high in Russian gas imports in 2024 - media
14:10
Review
Russian forces attempt to encircle Ukrainian troops: battles near Kurakhove. Serhiy Zgurets' column
13:47
Unmasking Spanish-language media pushing Kremlin narratives (Part 2)
13:06
Guerrillas expose redeployment of Russian military equipment toward Kurakhove
12:52
Exclusive
Russia's cyberattack on state registries aims to undermine Ukraine's elections - journalist
12:31
211 combat clashes occur on Russian-Ukrainian front on Dec. 20 - General Staff
12:07
Review
From Vietnam to Ukraine: how TOW missiles have been taking out Russian tanks
11:48
Ukraine launches first robotic attack without infantry support - ISW
11:30
Updated
Russia attacks Ukraine with drones, missiles: casualties reported in Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia
11:09
Russia launches 18 attacks on Ukraine ahead of UN Security Council meetings - Ambassador
10:51
Russia sets up TV and radio network to strengthen propaganda in occupied Ukraine
10:34
Russia loses 1,860 soldiers, 32 artillery systems, 10 tanks in one day of war in Ukraine
2024, Friday
20 December
21:30
Exclusive
“Russia planned Oreshnik attack, but something failed”: diplomat Chaly on Kyiv missile strike
21:10
Exclusive
Hacker attack on Ukraine's state registries is painful, but not catastrophic - cybersecurity expert
20:50
Ukrainian defenders repel Russian subversive groups near Kherson
20:25
OPINION
Putin admits Russia's war in Ukraine is driven by boredom
19:50
Fico blames Zelenskyy for gas crisis in Slovakia
19:29
Ukraine demands Orbán stop speculating on war, “Christmas truce”
19:01
146 combat engagements reported at front, Russian forces most active in Kursk sector
18:40
Germany sends additional IRIS-T air defense system to Ukraine
18:16
Ukraine's fiber-optic drones pass testing phase
17:50
Six embassies in Kyiv damaged in Russian missile attack
17:28
Lithuania to allocate €10 million for 'Danish model' implementation in Ukraine
More news