North Korea Supplied Faulty Shells to Russia; Russia Exchanged with Outdated Flour for North Korea

North Korea's supply of weapons to Russia has sparked controversy, as its shells and ammunition have been prone to self-detonation accidents. Moreover, Russia's flour shipment to North Korea, now revealed as 'spoiled food' exceeding its expiration by over a year, has drawn criticism. This situation highlights an exchange of 'faulty shells' for 'expired flour' between North Korea and Russia.

A Russian BM-21 Grad severely damaged by an internal explosion caused by a defective North Korean shells

On the 12th, Ukraine's 'Defense Express' and Poland's 'essanews' reported a recent incident involving a Russian military tank that self-detonated. The cause of the explosion is suspected to be low-quality North Korean ammunition detonating within the tank's gun barrel, according to these media sources.

Essanews reported, "The Russian military, upon using ammunition sent by North Korea, faced unexpected problems. The North Korean ammunition was of poor quality, and as military experts predicted, the incidence of early shell explosions increased, leading to the destruction or damage of artillery pieces."

Recently, a Telegram channel revealed the disassembly and analysis of five NDT-3 152mm shells used by the Russian military, purportedly from North Korea. Many of these shells were missing wire components intended to remove copper powder inside the gun barrel. The media outlets noted significant differences in the color and burn intensity of the gunpowder in each shell, suggesting inconsistent combustion. Some shells had compromised sealing, increasing the likelihood of moisture intrusion and further degrading quality. The amount of powder in each shell also varied considerably.

The media explained the reason for these flaws: "North Korean workers steal everything they can from factories for their own benefit," and "North Korea's planned economy, which prioritizes quantity over quality, causes these defects."

Consequently, "the firing range of shells may diminish, and their accuracy could decline as firing frequency increases." Reports from frontline Russian artillery units reveal that North Korean shells have inconsistent ranges. Defense Express noted, "Variable shell trajectories result in diminished accuracy, impacting the effectiveness of mission execution."

Reports suggest that North Korea is supplying Russia with shells and ballistic missiles, strained due to the Ukraine conflict, in exchange for satellite launch technology and food aid. The White House, in October, disclosed that North Korea sent Russia 1,000 containers, each 6 meters long, filled with weapons for Ukraine attacks, coinciding with Kim Jong-un's visit to Russia the previous month.

Amidst these developments, there are claims that North Korea supplied defective shells to Russia and, in exchange, received expired flour from Russia.

Flour, presumed to have been recently provided by Russia to North Korea, expired over a year ago / Photo by Free North Korea Radio

At an international seminar in Tokyo on the 15th, hosted by Free North Korea Radio, it was reported that flour imported from Russia is now being circulated in North Korea. This flour, offloaded at the port in Chongjin City, located in North Korea's northeast, is being sold in the country's grain exchanges.

The product is marked with an expiration date of ‘May 5, 2022,’ showing it's over a year past its expiration and consumption dates. It's reported that even this expired flour hasn't been distributed to the North Korean populace.

The exchange between North Korea and Russia, trading 'faulty shells' for 'expired food,' has drawn ridicule from the international community.