North Korea Helps Restock Russia’s War Machine

Welcome to the Brussels Edition, Bloomberg’s daily briefing on what matters most in the heart of the European Union.

With the invasion of Ukraine in its second year, Russia’s war machine has been rapidly burning through its stocks of ammunition and scrambling to replenish supplies. According to a South Korean lawmaker briefed by the nation’s spy agency, North Korea has sent more than 1 million rounds of artillery to bolster Kremlin forces, as well as advisers on the use of the munitions — enough for about two months of shelling. The government in Pyongyang has some of the world’s largest stores of shells and rockets interoperable with the Soviet-era weaponry pushed into service by Russia in Ukraine. For its part, North Korea needs cash and commodities to bolster its shaky economy, as well as technology. Some estimates showed that Russia already had capacity to produce 2 million rounds of artillery next year. The North Korean supplies will add to that — and magnify problems for Ukraine as its European allies struggle to meet their ammunition pledges.