Who Is Supporting Russia's Military and Why Does It Matter?

China claims to be neutral in the Ukraine war. However, customs records and other commonly reported data show that Russia is importing large numbers of drones, bulletproof vests, helmets, and weapon-making materials from China in very large quantities—quantities not seen before the start of the war in Ukraine (Politico, July 24, 2023). As of the end of July, Russia had imported over $100 million worth of Chinese drones. For Chinese companies to sell military equipment, the Chinese military must approve the sale.

In August, the Russian defense minister traveled to North Korea, reportedly with the intent of convincing the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) to sell Russia artillery ammunition (Financial Times, September 5, 2023). At the time of this writing, the intelligence community expects North Korea’s leader, Kim Jong Un, “to travel to Russia to meet President Vladimir Putin and discuss weapons sales to Moscow.”

These burgeoning ties could have prophetic significance. A common foe often encourages nations to draw closer together and establish stronger ties. Bible prophecy foretells a tremendous army of 200 million men from the East that will fight against the future German-led European “beast” power in a cataclysmic confrontation (Daniel 11:40–44; Revelation 9:16–19). What will bring highly populous and militarily capable nations from the east of Jerusalem together to eventually create such an army? What nations may be part of this unimaginable force? As we watch world events unfold, they should not be viewed only from the perspective of politics, as there is often an important prophetic perspective. To learn more about coming events in this part of the world, be sure to watch “Will Russia Attack Israel?”