According to a report by the Financial Times on Saturday, Ukrainian soldiers were observed using North Korean rockets that were reportedly seized by a “friendly” country before being delivered to Ukraine. The Ukrainian defense ministry suggested that these arms were captured from Russian forces.
While the United States has accused North Korea of providing arms to Russia, including alleged shipments by sea, there has been no concrete evidence, and North Korean weapons have not been widely observed on the battlefields in Ukraine. Both North Korea and Russia have denied any involvement in arms transactions.
The North Korean rockets were displayed by Ukrainian troops operating Soviet-era Grad multiple-launch rocket systems near the war-torn city of Bakhmut in eastern Ukraine, which has been the site of prolonged and brutal fighting.
Recently, Russia’s Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu made a rare visit to Pyongyang to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the end of the Korean War, marking the first visit by a top Moscow defense official to North Korea since the Soviet Union’s dissolution in 1991. During the visit, Shoigu was photographed examining banned North Korean ballistic missiles alongside leader Kim Jong Un at a military expo, signaling a potential deepening of ties between the two countries as they each navigate their relationships with the United States.
