According to Ukrainian intelligence, Russia's increased production of guided bombs, and the supply of artillery ammunition from North Korea pose major problems for Ukrainian forces on the battlefield.
This was stated on Saturday by the head of Ukraine's intelligence, Kyrylo Budanov, quoted by "Reuters". He made the statement at the conference on the European strategy in Yalta, organized by the "Victor Pinchuk" Foundation. in Kyiv.
For Kiev, North Korea's military aid to Russia is now the biggest concern, compared to the support provided by Moscow's other allies.
"They are delivering massive amounts of artillery ammunition, which is critical for Russia," he said, pointing to the escalation of military action on the battlefield following such deliveries.
Ukraine and the United States, along with other countries and independent analysts, say North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is helping Russia in its war against Ukraine by supplying missiles and ammunition in exchange for economic and other military aid from Moscow.
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Russia's push to produce guided bombs also poses a "huge problem for the front line," Budanov said.
The increase in the production of missiles of the type "Iskander" led to "massive use" of weapons from Russia to attack Ukraine, Budanov said.
This year's strikes on Ukraine's critical infrastructure caused significant damage to the country's power grid, leading to blackouts. President Volodymyr Zelensky renewed requests for air defense support from Ukraine's allies.
Budanov said Russian domestic planning indicated Moscow would face a recruitment crisis in the middle of next year.
"In the summer of 2025, they will be faced with a dilemma: either to announce mobilization or to somehow reduce the intensity of hostilities, which in the end may turn out to be critical for them," Budanov said.
The Russian army does not have enough soldiers to compensate for losses on the front lines in Ukraine, which have reached their highest level since the beginning of the Russian invasion in February 2022, Bloomberg wrote a month ago, citing three anonymous sources. close to the Kremlin and the Russian Ministry of Defense.
The inability of the Russian army to repel the advance of Ukrainian forces in the Kursk region and to control the border showed the lack of defense reserves in Russia.
North Korea's arms supply has strengthened Russia's position in Ukraine by allowing it to keep its arsenals at home, a senior German military official said during a visit to South Korea in early September.