Over the last several months I've spent a great deal of time (and will spend more time) looking at the role that Ukraine's friends and allies have played in supporting its war-effort. This has included the provision of funds, weapons, humanitarian aid and the taking in of millions of Ukrainian refugees.

Against the backdrop of that assistance, it's easy to paint Russia as entirely isolated, a pariah state without friends to turn to.

While it may not have the allies that Ukraine does, that is obviously not entirely true. From Iranian drones to North Korean shells, there are signs that Russia is turning to friendly or allied powers for the tools it needs to carry on its war - and in this episode we look at those nations and what impact they've had so far...and may have in the future.

Patreon:
patreon.com/PerunAU

Further Reading:

Relating to the DPRK:
Example of the 100,000 claim -
news.com.au/world/europe/100000-north-korean-soldiers-could-be-sent-to-bolster-putins-forces-fighting-ukraine/news-story/1126782c8c5e6fe08a8ad2d9fa38dff0

US claims on ammunition sales
politico.com/news/2022/11/02/north-korea-is-secretly-supplying-russia-with-ammunition-kirby-says-00064611

DPRK denials:
theguardian.com/world/2022/sep/21/north-korea-denies-supplying-weapons-or-ammunition-to-russia

Articles relating to Syria:
The Guardian "20,000 mercenaries" claim -
theguardian.com/world/2022/apr/19/russia-deployed-20000-mercenaries-ukraine-donbas-region

Putin approving the use of Middle Eastern fighters -
reuters.com/world/europe/putin-says-volunteers-welcome-help-fight-against-ukrainian-forces-2022-03-11/

Tracking Syrian losses in the Civil War
bellingcat.com/news/mena/2018/03/27/saa-vehicle-losses-2011-2017/

Carnegie on the Syrian mercenaries claim -
carnegieendowment.org/sada/87382

RE: CENTCOM statement
al-monitor.com/originals/2022/03/russia-not-sending-syrians-ukraine-just-yet-top-us-general-says

Recruitment efforts
aljazeera.com/news/2022/4/1/in-syria-moscow-leads-effort-to-recruit-fighters-for-ukraine

english.aawsat.com/home/article/3784656/no-syrian-%E2%80%98mercenaries%E2%80%99-russia%E2%80%99s-war-ukraine-%E2%80%98so-far%E2%80%99

Iran:
Stoltenberg statement on the potential supply of ballistic missiles:
reuters.com/world/iran-could-supply-russia-with-ballistic-missiles-nato-chief-says-2022-11-03/

Western claims on Iranian missile supply:
theguardian.com/world/2022/oct/18/iran-agrees-to-supply-missiles-as-well-as-drones-to-russia

Iran acknowledging drone shipments:
abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/iran-acknowledges-sending-drones-russia-time-92701301

CSTO:
TASS on Armenian requests for aid:
tass.com/world/1506567

Caveats:
The supply of weapons or troops by Russia's allies is obviously a matter of great secrecy - as a result, conclusions drawn here are based on available open source information and may not reflect any secret movements or aid

Regarding statements on Iranian or DPRK missile systems - these statements are general and based on assumed or projected paper capabilities. Accurate CEP data on all Iranian missiles compared to Iskander for example is not available.

Timestamps:
00:00:00 — Opening Words
00:03:12 — What Am I Covering?
00:03:49 — Not For Today: The PRC & Russia
00:05:01 — Russia's NATO: The CSTO
00:05:56 — The Commonwealth of Independent States
00:06:46 — Russia's NATO cont.
00:08:23 — Capabilities and Recent History
00:09:44 — Erosion
00:12:16 — DPRK (North Korea)
00:15:35 — Songun's Result
00:17:22 — A Deadly Museum
00:19:27 — Kim's Hundred Thousands
00:21:44 — Ammunition Transfers
00:22:41 — What Could Go?
00:25:25 — Impact & What Next?
00:27:50 — Assad's Syria
00:28:53 — An Ugly War
00:30:19 — Russian Intervention in Syria
00:32:29 — The Syrian Arab Army
00:33:36 — Syria & Ukraine
00:35:09 — The Phantom Mercenaries?
00:37:44 — Impact and What Next?
00:41:36 — Their Own War?
00:42:17 — Iran - Russian and the Islamic Republic
00:44:44 — The Web of Iranian Military Structures
00:47:39 — Iran & Ukraine
00:50:37 — War on the Cheap
00:52:50 — Impact & What Next
00:54:55 — Conclusions
00:57:33 — Channel Update

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