**Russia’s Military Strength in Decline: New Analysis Reveals Soviet-Era Arsenal Depletion**
As the war between Russia and Ukraine rages on, a new analysis by the Kyiv School of Economics (KSE) Institute has revealed that Russia’s extensive stockpiles of Soviet-era weaponry are being significantly depleted. According to the KSE’s findings, shipments of military goods from storage facilities to the front lines have returned to pre-2022 levels, with a projected decline from 242,000 tons in 2022 to 119,000 tons in 2025.
**Russia Taps into Foreign Supplies**
The analysis suggests that Russia is now relying heavily on foreign supplies to keep its military machines running. The country’s defense industry is increasingly dependent on imports from China and North Korea. In fact, approximately 52% of shipments labeled as “explosive materials” to Russia’s arsenals in 2024 originated from Nakhodka, a port region on the Sea of Japan used by North Korea.
**North Korea Plays Key Role**
Ukraine’s military intelligence chief, Kyrylo Budanov, has assessed that North Korea supplies around 40% of Russia’s ammunition. Additionally, South Korean intelligence has suggested that Pyongyang has sent 28,000 containers to Russia, providing ballistic missiles, howitzers, and even troops.
**Iran Also Gets in on the Action**
The KSE analysis also identified around 13,000 tons of explosive material likely sourced from Iran, based on their entry points into the logistics chain near the Caspian Sea. This revelation highlights the increasingly complex web of international relationships at play in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
**What Does it Mean for Russia’s Military Effectiveness?**
While some military analysts advise against interpreting the reduced front-line deliveries of armored vehicles as a definitive sign that Russian forces are “losing combat effectiveness,” others point out that Russia’s battlefield tactics have adapted to employ fewer such vehicles. Furthermore, Russia is reportedly spending heavily to build up new stocks.
**What’s Next for Ukraine?**
As Ukraine continues to face off against Russia on the battlefield, these findings could have significant implications for its military strategy and planning. With Russia increasingly reliant on foreign supplies, Ukraine may need to adapt its tactics to take advantage of this trend.
**Experts Weigh In**
Pavlo Shkurenko, an analyst at the KSE Institute, noted that Russia is now sending less materiel for refurbishment and repair than they know the repair stations can handle. The better quality and easily-restored equipment would have been the first to be moved, he said.
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