American intelligence has declassified information indicating that Russia is being forced to buy millions of artillery shells and missiles from North Korea, an indication that the sanctions and boycotts from the US, the EU and other nations are having a crippling effect on Russia's ability to sustain a war in Ukraine, the New York Times reports.
Russian leaders believed it could completely overwhelm Ukraine within days of invasion. Instead, the Ukrainians have mounted an effective defense against the Russian invaders, armed in large part by Western allies, meaning the Russians have had to expend far more resources to maintain their gains in eastern Ukraine.
Earlier, US intel agencies reported Russia had made a large purchase of drones from Iran and they were frequently malfunctioning in the field. It appears that China is not willing to violate international bans on providing Russia with military equipment, although China is funding Russia by buying its oil at discounted prices.