Russia has been forced to buy military hardware from North Korea as sanctions squeeze Moscow’s ability to supply its military, US media have reported.

According to declassified intelligence obtained by the New York Times, Russia has bought millions of artillery shells and rockets from Pyongyang.

A US official said Russia would be forced to buy additional North Korean weaponry as the war dragged on.

Last week, Moscow reportedly received its first order of new Iranian drones.

Iran and North Korea, both the targets of significant Western sanctions, have sought to deepen ties with Russia since President Vladimir Putin launched his invasion of Ukraine in February.

Kim Jong-un’s regime has blamed the US for the conflict and accused the West of pursuing a “hegemonic policy” that justified Russia’s use of force.

The exact size and scale of the new weapons deliveries revealed by the report remain unclear.

But a US official told the Associated Press that turning to North Korea for support demonstrated that “the Russian military continues to suffer from severe supply shortages in Ukraine, due in part to export controls and sanctions”.