Russia’s weapon and troop shortage has forced it to turn to other rogue nations and some surprising sources in an effort to sustain its invasion of Ukraine. 

Analysts predicted Russia’s invasion would last only days or weeks due to confidence in a superior military force with vast supplies and an overwhelming advantage in manpower, but nine months later, Moscow has looked to source weapons and troops from other countries. 

"Russia clearly wasn’t prepared for the nine-month slog that it’s fighting in Ukraine now," Rebekah Koffler, president of Doctrine & Strategy Consulting and a former DIA intelligence officer, told Fox News Digital. "Putin thought that it would be a one- to two-week project, [and] Russian intelligence failed to accurately estimate Zelenskyy's ability to galvanize Western support, Ukrainians’ will to fight, U.S. and Europe’s willingness to provide unprecedented levels of security aid and the Russian forces’ tactical limitations."

Experts previously told Fox News Digital about how "rampant" corruption undermined Russia's military, with oligarchs allegedly pocketing the money instead of investing it in the military over the past thirty years since the Soviet Union collapsed. 

THE RUSSIA-IRAN MONSTER: BIDEN'S STRATEGIC INCOMPETENCE HAS CREATED A NEW MENACE FOR AMERICA

And Ukraine bolstered its own supplies with heavy investment from the U.S. and its NATO allies, helping to level the battlefield for months and allowing Ukraine to push Russian forces back. Russian President Vladimir Putin had to withdraw his troops to the eastern border and focus on locking down "rebel" states in Ukraine after failing to take any major strategic target. 

But now Russia has started to build its own coalition of allies, even as those allies try to keep their support quiet. 

"Russia has already fired on the order of 3,000-4,000 missiles in Ukraine, more than expected, with hundreds of missiles launched in the last two weeks targeting Ukrainian critical infrastructure to disrupt electricity and water supplies ahead of winter," Koffler explained. She added that "Russia's missile arsenal is almost certainly depleting," and current inventory is "probably" below 40% of pre-war levels.

The U.S. on Wednesday accused North Korea of secretly supplying Russia with artillery shells, and reports over the past month detailed how Iran first supplied Russia with Shahed-136 "kamikaze" drones and then trained Russian troops in their use. New reports indicate that Iran added Mohajer-6 as well as Shahed-129 drones to its shipments. 

White House National Security spokesperson John Kirby told a virtual briefing that North Korea had attempted to hide the shipments by sending them through countries in the Middle East and North Africa, Reuters reported. 

RUSSIA REJOINS UKRAINE GRAIN EXPORT WARTIME DEAL

"Our indications are that the DPRK is covertly supplying and we are going to monitor to see whether the shipments are received," Kirby said, adding that Washington would consult with the United Nations on accountability issues over the shipments.

"We do have a sense on where they are going to transfer these shells," Kirby said. He declined to give any more details as the U.S. weighs its possible options. But he insisted that the weapons would not likely change the momentum or outcome of the war. 

The Foundation for the Defense of Democracies (FDD) reported that Iran may even increase its support and provide Russia with short-range ballistic missiles, a move that indicates any economic relief Tehran would gain through the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) — also known as the Iran nuclear deal — would end up funding Russia’s war and undercut U.S. sanctions.

"With reports that Iran plans to send short-range ballistic missiles to Russia to use against Ukraine — and as the people of Iran cry out in the streets for a change in regime — the U.S. and its European allies should withdraw all sanctions relief offers made to Tehran and complete the snapback of U.N. sanctions at the Security Council," Richard Goldberg, a senior advisor at the FDD, wrote in an analysis published Wednesday. 

UK TIGHTENS SECURITY OVER HACKING FEARS FROM RUSSIA, CHINA

The transfer would include Fateh-110 and Zulfiqar short-range ballistic missiles. The Fateh-110 can reach a distance of 150-180 miles, while the Zulfiqar could potentially reach targets within 435 miles. 

Iran already sent over 3,500 drones to Russia, with most of the units produced in factories operated by the Iranian Ministry of Defense and the Iranian Aviation and Space Industries Association (IASIA).

Weapons alone will not win the war as Putin also looked to replenish his depleted forces. After months of silence about the true number of casualties, both CIA Director William Burns and British Intelligence Chief Richard Moore indicated that Russia lost around 15,000 troops over the first five months of the invasion. 

"We've seen for months now attempts by Russia to recruit sort of their own version of the foreign legion, of particular communities by the Wagner Group in the field from Syria, from Libya, from the Central African Republic," Goldberg told Fox News Digital. "We've heard reports of Serbians, as well, fighting on the pro-Russia side." 

REPORTER'S NOTEBOOK: BACK TO KYIV AS RUSSIA TARGETS CITY WITH DRONES AND MISSILE STRIKES

"[One of] the main motivations for doing this for the Russians is they're quickly depleting their own forces," Goldberg explained. "They are moving into reserve call-ups, and they don't want to have to continue taxing the Russian population wherever possible.

"So to the extent that they can lean on foreign troops to do the work, to have non-Russians fighting and dying rather than Russian bodies coming home to their families, that's their preference," he added, noting that Putin is seeking "low-cost, high-impact systems." 

Putin attempted to replenish his forces through a forced enlistment by announcing a "partial mobilization," but many Russian men decided to flee the country rather than join Putin’s war in Ukraine. 

Russia had already drawn in Chechen fighters in the early phase of the Ukraine war after it became clear the conflict would not end as soon as Putin had believed and would require more commitment. 

RUSSIA EXPANDS UKRAINE EVACUATION ORDERS IN OCCUPIED KHERSON

Reports started to emerge over the following months of Russia reaching out to friendly nations and seeking reinforcements. The New York Times in April reported that Putin had looked to Syrian and Georgian fighters to bolster its forces. 

And multiple Afghan military and security sources last week said that elite National Army Commando Corps soldiers started joining the Russian forces after the U.S. left behind the 20,000 to 30,000-member force following its military drawdown. 

As many as 10,000 of the former commandos were initially inclined to accept Russia’s offer, Foreign Policy reported. 

Goldberg likened Russia’s growing coalition to Ukraine’s International Legion, which Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy established at the start of the conflict. It drew 20,000 volunteers from 52 countries in the first week. 

"Moscow is running low both military hardware and personnel, having to fill the gaps with non-indigenous capabilities. It’s procuring weapons from Iran and North Korea and is relying on the mercenary contingent, the Wagner Group, the Chechen fighters, Kadyrov, to replenish its regular forces," Koffler said. "They are even recruiting prisoners and bringing in former Afghan security forces, who were displaced as the Taliban came back to power, after the U.S. withdrawal.

"Despite all of these limitations, Putin will not back down. To the contrary, he is preparing for an all-out fight with the U.S. and NATO and switching to asymmetric strategy."

Reuters contributed to this report. 

Yeah. Don't stop, don't ever stop, don't ever leave me. So happy Wednesday, everyone. Do not adjust the TV. I simply got better looking since you saw me on "The Five" a few hours ago. If it keeps happening, I'm going to change the name of this show to "The Ten." I don't need those people. 

WHAT'S AT STAKE AS THE SUPREME COURT CONSIDERS BANNING RACE IN COLLEGE ADMISSIONS: ‘BASIC FAIRNESS’

Tonight, I want to talk about something that might not be on your radar, but will be soon, affirmative action. That's right. In college admissions, which has advanced more unqualified people than the last name Biden. On Monday, the Supreme Court heard two cases challenging the race centric policies at the University of North Carolina and Harvard, or as I call them, my safety schools. The UNC case argues that using race in admissions violates civil rights law and the Constitution, or what the Dems refer to as "that pain in the ass scrap of paper." Harvard is accused of discriminating against Asian students, that's right, Harvard. You know the school that produced Joy Reid, Liz Warren, Chuck Schumer, Barack Obama, all of whom love to call other people racist. 

They're more obsessed with color than a bomb tech cutting red and blue wires. I'm so glad you got that, I was going to cut it out. But while the left loves to defend all minorities from perceived racism, with Asians they don't give a ----. I spell it, P. H. U. K. The Asian way, thank you, thank you. I'm culturally appropriate, but that's because Asians fill spaces in great colleges in numbers that are higher than their percentage of the general population. So it's a great message for today's youth. Work hard and sacrifice, and someday you too can get moved to the back of the line. But that's how punitive ideologies work. Those who rise get pounded down in the name of equity. 

It's not about equality of opportunity anymore, but making everybody suck at the same level. But if you want that kind of mediocrity, skip college and join "The View's" live audience. The oral arguments between lawyers for both sides and the judges took almost 6-hours. But if anything done orally takes that long, they must be doing it wrong. What was that? What's wrong with me? Disgusting. 6-hours, we pause now to watch all of it.

VIDEO

Guess we loaded the wrong tape. At least they didn't load that other tape labeled oral. Anyway. I'll just fire that person later. I pay it forward by doing it in front of their children. Now experts think the court will end up banning the practice. Liberal judges, though, are against that, saying "you can't have diversity without it." Now, that would make sense decades ago, when Sandra Day O'Connor once pointed out that affirmative action was a "temporary" remedy, something you need until you don't need it anymore. Like crutches for a sprained ankle, training wheels on a bike, or that topical cream Larry Kudlow recommended. We still have half a tube, if anyone's interested, Tyrus.

A TIMELINE OF SUPREME COURT CASES ON AFFIRMATIVE ACTION IN COLLEGE ADMISSIONS

But the problem with leftists, they never believe anything is temporary unless it's a statue, the Bill of Rights or a fetus. But everything, therefore, that always sticks around, though they get amnesia when asked which party defended slavery and founded the KKK. Meanwhile, the court's majority questions the legal reasons for affirmative action. And when Harvard's lawyers tried to downplay using race in admissions, Chief Justice Roberts stated the obvious, "schools who ask kids to check a box for their race, that must have some impact on admission's decisions or else it wouldn't be included." You know, no one adds a box if they don't want you to use that box. Take it from me, I spent four-years inside a box under Cavuto's bed. Anyway, but Roberts could have just said, "lawyers I've got two words for you, Liz Warren, or one word Pocahontas." After all, she's the white lady who faked being an Indian to get into Harvard. Yeah, Liz Warren or as her tribal elders call her, "Dances with Mayonnaise." 

Also, if white privilege is such a huge problem, why are a third of white students pretending not to be white when applying for college? They tick the other boxes with labels like mixed, indigenous or Rachel Dolezal. So even they realize it's better to be non-white than white, and when you have that kind of institutional racism, you don't need affirmative action anymore. It's like a sprinter faking a limp so they can park in handicapped spaces. Now, the conservative justices did note they'd be willing to allow students to discuss their race in their applications, but in essay form. And that's what I did to get into Berkeley. I told them how I was raised by a black family. Which was kind of true, having watched every single episode of The Jeffersons, I love them. Of course, the left wasn't thrilled.

RALLYGOERS PLEAD WITH SUPREME COURT TO END RACE-BASED ADMISSIONS: ‘DO NOT SCAPEGOAT ASIANS’

MSNBC: This Supreme Court has no problem throwing out precedent and ruling in a really partisan political way.

MSNBC: If they say race can't even be considered there, next they will say it shouldn't be considered in the private sector.

MSNBC: The six justices, conservative justices on the Supreme Court will let them do it because they don't actually think the diversity is important.

WHOOPI GOLDBERG: The people who have benefited most from affirmative action have been women who are white... Affirmative action works for all those of us who were not allowed to go to the institutions where we thought we could do our best.

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Well get used to all that, because the left is going to ram this idea home that the court getting rid of affirmative action will set the country back. Well, the way it's going now, how can that be a bad idea? I say set it back to January of 2017, that was when 45 was sworn in.