Why Russian mercenaries would seek out North Korean weapons for Ukraine war | NK News
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September 16, 2026Sep 16, 2026

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Why Russian mercenaries would seek out North Korean weapons for Ukraine war

Experts say Wagner Group is able to pull off ‘shady deals’ for Moscow, while DPRK is well placed to provide arms

The U.S. has accused North Korea of selling “infantry rockets and missiles” to Russia’s Wagner Group for use in the war in Ukraine, and experts say Moscow’s practice of outsourcing fighting to the shadowy mercenaries lends plausibility to the U.S. claims, while Pyongyang has few if any compunctions about selling to such a customer.

Washington has yet to provide evidence for its repeated assertion that Russia is turning to the DPRK for equipment and ammunition as the Ukraine war drags on, allegations that Pyongyang has denied.

But the Wagner Group, a private paramilitary organization reportedto have close links