When Russia invaded Ukraine, few imagined North Korea would become one of Moscow’s most important wartime partners.

Analysts predicted Moscow could run short of artillery shells by the end of 2022, yet under Russian Ambassador to North Korea Aleksander Matsegora, Pyongyang evolved from an isolated ally to a major source of ammunition and military support.

Historian Dominic Lieven once argued that Russia’s diplomatic corps was crucial to defeating Napoleon; during the war in Ukraine, diplomacy has again helped Moscow sustain its battlefield position. 

With Matsegora gone, the Kremlin has turned to another