North Korea has provided Russia with over a million rounds of artillery for use in the war against Ukraine.

According to Bloomberg, citing a lawmaker briefed by South Korea’s spy agency, at a closed-door briefing with South Korean lawmakers on 1 November, the National Intelligence Service said that about 10 shipments of weapons from North Korea had been sent to Russia since August, reporters were told by Yoo Sang-bum, a member of the ruling People Power Party who sits on the parliamentary intelligence committee.

North Korea has also sent advisers to Russia to explain how to use the ammunition, which will be enough for about two months, Yoo said, citing intelligence data.

Russian Defenсe Minister Sergei Shoigu made a rare trip to North Korea at the end of July. Shortly afterwards, Russia sent a military jet to Pyongyang, raising concerns that the DPRK was about to begin a major arms delivery to Russia.

Pyongyang has one of the world's largest stockpiles of artillery shells and missiles that are compatible with the Soviet-era weapons used by Russia in Ukraine.

Cooperation between Pyongyang and Moscow has intensified as both countries find themselves in global isolation, with Kim Jong Un and Vladimir Putin holding a summit in Russia in September.

The United States said in October that North Korea has transferred a thousand containers of "military equipment" and ammunition to Russia.

Meanwhile, the European Union is falling behind in its plan to provide Ukraine with one million artillery rounds by March 2024, Bloomberg reports.