The war in Ukraine has precipitated a renewed relationship between Russia and North Korea. Driven by Russia’s need for ammunition for the war, and North Korea’s need for food, energy, and military technology, these burgeoning ties pose challenges for the U.S., and its allies in Europe and the Indo-Pacific region. In Europe, North Korea’s assistance may allow Putin to prevail in Ukraine when U.S. support is in question. In Asia, Russian military technology could advance North Korea’s military satellite, nuclear submarine, and ICBM programs.
CSIS Korea Chair research has focused on the munitions trade and the associated policy challenges posed by Moscow and Pyongyang.
We created a timeline documenting major developments in the growing North Korea-Russia relationship since September 2022.
Imagery Studies
Tumangang Road Bridge Construction Update
Satellite imagery collected from February to March 2025 shows significant changes at the new Russia-North Korea Tumangang road bridge construction sites.
Changes at Tumangang-Khasan Rail Crossing as DPRK-Russia Alliance Evolves
Satellite imagery of the Russia-North Korea border at the Tumangang-Khasan railroad crossing from early February to mid-July 2024, a few months before and a few weeks after Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to North Korea on June 18 shows a new railcar traffic pattern compared to the previous two years, with more ore and tank cars and fewer boxcars. This suggests an increase in the transfer of coal and oil into North Korea and a decrease in the movement of other goods between the two countries by rail.
Ongoing Activity at Russia’s Tikhoretsk Munitions Storage Facility
Satellite imagery from April 7, 2024, reveals an ongoing high-level utilization of the Tikhoretsk Munitions Storage Facility, with around 55% of its 280 storage revetments occupied—essentially the same as in February 2024.
Major Munitions Transfers from North Korea to Russia
Ammunition supplies have become critical in the Ukraine war. CSIS studied hundreds of commercially available satellite images since August 2023 on the continuing transfer of large quantities of munitions between North Korea and Russia.
Dramatic Increase in DPRK-Russia Border Rail Traffic After Kim-Putin Summit
A few weeks after the Kim-Putin summit, satellite imagery show an unprecedented level of rail traffic at the DPRK-Russia border. The level of rail traffic is far greater than what Beyond Parallel has observed at the facility during the past five years, even compared to pre-Covid-19 levels.
Activity at Najin Points to Continued DPRK-Russia Arms Transfers
Satellite imagery analysis of Najin Port over the past two months shows that the port has been handling a significantly high level of activity. Given the White House confirmation that the port has been involved in the transfer of North Korean munitions to Russia, the recently observed activities suggest that such transfer activities are continuing.
Arms for Energy: War Brings Together Russia and North Korea
Analysis of recent commercially available satellite imagery of the Russia–North Korea railroad crossing suggests significantly increased energy and economic trade between the two countries as Pyongyang seeks to tighten ties with Moscow.
Policy Analysis
What is Kim Jong-un Giving to Putin?
One of the most significant geopolitical changes that we have seen in Northeast Asia and the Korean Peninsula as a result of Russia’s war in Ukraine has been the burgeoning relationship between North Korea and Russia. CSIS Victor Cha explains what North Korean leader Kim Jong-un may be giving to Vladimir Putin and Russia, and why the North Korea-Russia relationship has become a threat like no other.
North Korea Announces Nuclear-Powered Submarine Development
In this CSIS Critical Questions, Dr. Victor Cha and Dr. Ellen Kim assesses the announcement that North Korea has unveiled a nuclear-powered submarine, and what that could mean for the growing North Korea-Russia defense cooperation.
Crossing the Rubicon: DPRK Sends Troops to Russia
In this CSIS Critical Questions, Dr. Victor Cha examines the impact of U.S. government confirmation that North Korea has sent troops to Russia, effectively showing that Kim Jong-un is “all in” in helping Putin win his unjust war in Ukraine.
A Threat Like No Other – The Russia-North Korea Alliance
On this episode of the Impossible State, Dr. Victor Cha moderated a special discussion on the Russia-North Korea alliance with Dr. Maria Snegovaya, Senior Fellow for Europe, Russia, and Eurasia Program, CSIS, Mr. Jude Blanchette, Freeman Chair in China Studies, CSIS, Mr. Sydney Seiler, non-resident Senior Adviser for Korea Chair, CSIS, and Mr. Scott Snyder, President and CEO of Korea Economic Institute of America.
The New Russia-North Korea Security Alliance
In this CSIS Critical Questions, Dr. Victor Cha and Dr. Ellen Kim examined the significance of Vladimir Putin’s visit to Pyongyang in June 2024, and the implications of their new “comprehensive strategic partnership” treaty.
A Threat Like No Other: Russia-North Korea Military Cooperation
In this CSIS Commentary, Dr. Victor Cha explained how the summit meeting between Russian president Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un presents the greatest threat to U.S. national security since the Korean War.
Russia’s Veto: Dismembering the UN Sanctions Regime on North Korea
On March 28, Russia vetoed a UN resolution renewing the mandate of the UN Panel of Experts (PoE), which monitors UN member states’ enforcement of the UN sanctions regime on North Korea. Among the 15 countries currently sitting on the UN Security Council (including South Korea and Japan), Russia was the only country that rejected the annual renewal. China abstained. Russia’s veto will effectively end the mandate for the PoE, which expires at the end of April 2024.
A Renewed Axis: Growing Military Cooperation Between North Korea and Russia
The White House’s acknowledgement this week of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un’s possible trip later this month to meet Russian president Vladimir Putin is only the latest evidence of a growing military alignment between North Korea and Russia.
Biden Administration’s North Korea Policy
In this featured conversation at The JoongAng-CSIS Forum 2024, Dr. Mira Rapp-Hooper, Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for East Asia and Oceania at the National Security Council, White House discussed with Dr. Victor Cha the Biden Administration’s North Korea policy, and burgeoning partnership between North Korea and Russia.
How to Deal with North Korea-China-Russia
At The JoongAng-CSIS Forum in Seoul on March 4, 2024, top experts including former ROK foreign minister Yoon Young-kwan, Dr. Victor Cha, Ms. Allison Hooker, Amb. Shin Jung-Seung, Amb. Shin Kak-soo, and Amb. Wi Sung-lac joined to discuss the important question of how to deal with the worrisome partnership and relationship between North Korea, China and Russia.
What motivated Putin to turn to North Korea and meet with Kim Jong-un? How does this summit impact Russia and the rules-based international order? Dr. Angela Stent, Director of the Center for Eurasian, Russian and East European Studies and Professor of Government at Georgetown University joined Dr. Victor Cha and Dr. Ellen Kim on the Impossible State.
The War in Ukraine and Russia-North Korean Arms Transfers: What’s Next?
What is Putin’s view of the current situation in the Russia-Ukraine conflict? What is the significance of China’s support for Russia’s war and its cooperation with the DPRK? Ms. Jill Dougherty, Adjunct Professor at Georgetown University’s Center for Eurasian, Russian and East European Studies and former CNN’s Moscow Bureau Chief and Correspondent joined Dr. Victor Cha on the Impossible State.
How China and Russia Facilitate North Korea’s Human Rights Abuses
The North Korean regime focuses all available resources on its top strategic objective: its own survival. This CSIS and George W. Bush Presidential Center report examines China and Russia’s roles in perpetuating North Korea’s human rights abuses and explores how recent global developments including the Covid-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine have presented North Korea with new incentives and opportunities for repression.