North Korea is supplying approximately 40 percent of the ammunition that Russia uses in its conflict with Ukraine, according to Kyiv’s spy chief.

Kyrylo Budanov, head of the Ukrainian military intelligence agency (HUR), said in an interview with Bloomberg that the shells are being delivered to Moscow in exchange for funding and technology.

He highlighted that this partnership helps Pyongyang to “ease” its international isolation, a strategy being supported through a mutual defense pact signed by the East Asian country and Russia in 2024.

Budanov also told the outlet that approximately 60% of the losses sustained by Ukrainian military-intelligence units over the past three months were caused by North Korean-built artillery used by Russian forces

“Those are good weapons,” said the chief, who will enter his fifth year in the HUR post this August. “North Korea has huge stockpiles, and production runs around the clock.”

Air Defense, Loitering Munition Partnerships

North Korea is known as a critical supporter of Russia in its now three-year conflict with Ukraine, with Moscow usually providing support in exchange for Pyongyang’s soldiers and equipment.

Before his latest update, Budanov in early July said that North Korea has fielded the Russian-made Pantsir-S1 air defense systems in its capital.

He noted that Moscow also plans to initiate military training to further familiarize Pyongyang’s warfighters with the weapons.

Last June, Budanov claimed that Moscow is working on a project to assist Kim Jong Un’s administration in manufacturing Shahed kamikaze drones in its territories.

The Shahed is an Iranian-designed loitering munition that is commonly deployed in Russia’s overnight assaults on Ukraine.

According to the HUR head, these developments have the possibility to heighten regional security tensions in the Asia-Pacific region, specifically between North and South Korea.