Deputy Director of the General Intelligence Service: “Russia imported 1.5 million rounds of ammunition from North Korea”
“Ammunition manufactured in the 1970s and 1980s… half of them require repair and inspection.”
Vadim Skivitsky, Deputy Director of the General Intelligence Service (GUR) of the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense, claimed that half of the artillery shells delivered to Russia by North Korea were defective.
According to The Times on the 6th (local time), Deputy Director Skibitsky told Interfax, “Considering currently available statistics, Russia has already imported 1.5 million rounds of ammunition from North Korea. However, these shells were manufactured in the 1970s and 1980s. “Half of them are not working, and the rest need to be repaired or inspected before use.”
He said, “(North Korea) has given away its old inventory,” and “in return, it is demanding certain technologies, especially missile and submarine technology, with the aim of increasing domestic production and developing its own defense industry.”
He continued, “This once again proves that Russia lacks its own production capabilities to quickly and powerfully increase missile production. “Otherwise, why would (Russia) ask North Korea?”
It was believed that North Korea’s delivery of the artillery took place after North Korean Chairman Kim Jong-un held a summit meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in September last year.
Last month, GUR Director Kirillo Budanow told the Financial Times (FT), “North Korea is currently Russia’s largest arms supplier,” adding, “This gave Russia some breathing room. “Without their (North Korea) help, the situation would have been close to a disaster,” he emphasized.
Chairman Kim left Pyongyang on a bulletproof train on September 10 last year and arrived at Khasan Station in Russia’s Primorsky Krai two days later. He had a summit meeting with President Putin the next day. Subsequently, on the 15th, he toured military-related facilities in Far Eastern cities, including inspecting a fighter jet production plant in Komsomolsk Naamure, Khabarovsk Province, on a 6-day, 5-night schedule.
During his visit, Chairman Kim requested President Putin to visit North Korea, which he gladly accepted. He set the record for the longest foreign visit since Chairman Kim took power.
The Times pointed out, “Although there was no specific announcement, the two leaders clearly agreed to transfer North Korean-made weapons in exchange for Russia’s technical support for North Korea’s launch of a reconnaissance satellite.”
However, he said, “It is unclear how much that amount is,” and predicted that the estimate may have included some exaggeration.
Minister of National Defense Shin Won-sik announced on the 26th of last month, “There are hundreds of military factories in North Korea, but the operation rate is estimated to be only about 30% due to power shortages, etc.,” adding, “Some military factories are fully operational, but most of them are weapons provided by Russia.” did.
Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.