By John Q. Hosedrinker 
According to Vadym Skibitskyi, Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence deputy head, North Korea has significantly reduced its artillery shell shipments to Russia, with deliveries dropping by more than half in 2024 due to depleted stockpiles. Since 2023, approximately 6.5 million shells were delivered, with no deliveries recorded in September. Simultaneously, North Korea has ramped up the mass production of FPV drones and medium-range combat UAVs, utilizing their experiences in the ongoing conflict to expand production capabilities. Additionally, Russia is planning to recruit 12,000 North Korean workers for drone assembly and reports indicate that North Korean soldiers are fighting alongside Russian forces.
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North Korea runs out of shells for Putin, Russia turns to faulty stockpiles, and here we are again, watching the theater of the absurd unfold. It’s almost comical how the situation keeps spiraling, with Russia seemingly hitting one snag after another in its Ukrainian adventure. The latest buzz is that North Korea, the supposed supplier of much-needed artillery shells, has run dry, leaving Russia to scramble for whatever’s left in their own, likely dusty, armories. This whole saga just makes you scratch your head, doesn’t it? One minute we’re hearing about the potential for global conflict, and the next we’re learning that a major player is running on fumes.
Now, the specifics. Apparently, around half of the ammunition sent over last month was so old it needed to be shipped back for refurbishment. Refurbishment! Picture that: sending shells to be, what, cleaned up? Polished? It’s like the military equivalent of a garage sale, but with explosives. This raises a lot of questions. If the shells are in that state, what does it say about the guns they’re firing them from? Surely those barrels are worn out too, if not worse. The situation underscores a critical point: Russia’s military might, or what’s left of it, is perhaps not as formidable as it’s been portrayed. It’s a bit like watching a house of cards precariously balanced, with each new piece of information threatening to topple the whole thing.
The real kicker here is the reliance on North Korea in the first place. You’d think a nation like Russia, with its vast resources and the ability to produce weapons, wouldn’t need to beg for supplies from a country that’s generally considered to be somewhat…unreliable. This indicates a problem with the overall strategy. Is it a logistics failure, economic struggles, or something more? The answer could be a mix of all three. It raises a fascinating, and maybe slightly disturbing, question: are they over their head?
It’s not just the shells either. The entire scenario casts a shadow over Russia’s long-term military capability. We’re hearing about a shortage of soldiers, too. Conscription can only go so far when the war has caused so much damage and death. The morale must be low when the troops, already fighting for a cause that might not be clearly defined, are given substandard equipment. It’s a recipe for disaster. The whole situation has become increasingly dependent on bluster, threats, and a media machine that paints a picture far from the reality on the ground.
The fact that Russia needs to refurbish old shells, and likely is facing other shortages, puts things into perspective. They are trying to keep up their pace and strategy. The impact goes beyond just the immediate battlefield. It has implications for Russia’s standing on the world stage, its ability to project power, and even the stability of its domestic situation. They might have nukes, but you can’t exactly use them for everything, and even that power is slowly becoming less significant to the world’s power players. The longer this goes on, the more the world sees what Russia actually is: a “paper tiger”.
This whole episode seems to be an illustration of the consequences of poor leadership, corruption, and an unsustainable military strategy. It’s a good reminder that even the biggest, strongest nations can be brought down by their own internal flaws.
In a situation like this, one has to wonder if Russia really does have the capability to wage a serious, prolonged war against any major opponent. Considering what we’re seeing, that’s a tough question to answer. The fact that the entire operation depends on the assistance of countries like North Korea speaks volumes about the actual shape of the “mighty” Russian military. It’s hard not to feel a mixture of disbelief and, dare I say, a little bit of schadenfreude as we watch this play out.