North Korea is apparently moving to sell millions of rockets and artillery shells, many likely from old stock, to its Cold War ally Russia. U.S. officials say it shows Russia’s desperation with the war in Ukraine. Russia has called the U.S. report “fake.”
Lee Illwoo, an expert with the Korea Defense Network in South Korea, said both North and South Korea -- split along the world’s most heavily fortified border for more than 70 years -- keep tens of millions of artillery shells each. North Korea will likely sell older shells that it wants to replace with newer ones for multiple rocket launch systems or sophisticated missiles in its front-line army bases, he said.
“It’s not millions of artillery shells and rockets – that’s more than the likely consumption. It could be millions of small arms rounds,” Bennett said.According to an IISS assessment, North Korea has an estimated 20,000 artillery pieces including multiple rocket launchers in service, a number that Dempsey described as “significantly more than any other country in the world.
During North Korea’s artillery bombardment of South Korea’s front-line Yeonpyeong Island in 2010 that killed four people, Bennett said that only 80 of the 300-400 weapons North Korea should have fired likely hit their target. In his assessment, Lee said about half of the North Korean shells launched ended up falling into waters before reaching the island.“That is miserable artillery performance. The Russians may experience the same thing, which will not make them very happy,” Bennett said.
It’s unclear how serious Russian shortage of ammunitions is. In July, a senior U.S. defense official told reporters that Russia was launching tens of thousands artillery rounds each day and couldn’t keep it up forever.
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