“Not years, but months”: A serious warning from a U.S. admiral

U.S. Pacific Commander Admiral Samuel Paparo, in his testimony before the Senate, assessed the military cooperation between Russia and North Korea as a serious threat.

According to him, Pyongyang has sent Russia hundreds of short-range ballistic missiles and hundreds of thousands of artillery shells.

“Transactional symbiosis” – filling mutual weaknesses
Paparo described the relationship as “a transactional symbiosis where both countries compensate for each other's weaknesses.” He noted that Moscow, in return, is supplying North Korea with modern air defense systems, including surface-to-air missile systems.

Analysts say this testimony reflects Washington’s deep concern over growing ties between Moscow and Pyongyang.

Missiles reaching Ukraine within months
According to South Korean and British sources, by the end of March 2024, North Korea had shipped another batch of weapons to Russia. It reportedly included KN-23 ballistic missiles and 122mm and 152mm artillery shells.

Conflict Armament Research, analyzing the remnants of missiles fired on Ukrainian cities in July–August 2024, found that four of them were manufactured in North Korea.

“This is a matter of months, not years. It’s the first open and credible evidence,” said the organization’s head Leff at a UN Security Council session.

What is Pyongyang gaining?
Experts believe this cooperation could be a strategic opportunity for North Korea, allowing it to boost its military-technological capacity.

U.S. intelligence has previously confirmed such shipments, but Paparo’s statement is considered one of the most direct and serious so far.

What do you think – what consequences could closer ties between Pyongyang and Moscow bring to the region?