Ukraine's intelligence chief, Andrii Cherniak, told Reuters that North Korea is deploying a missile unit comprising six launchers and 120 ballistic missiles to western Russia, specifically to the Voronezh region, to support strikes against Ukraine. The unit includes 90 North Korean soldiers, according to Cherniak.
Missile Deployment Details
The deployment comes as Ukraine struggles to defend against Russian missile attacks, with a limited arsenal of air defences. Russia has increasingly used ballistic missiles, which are difficult for traditional air defence systems to intercept in time. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated last week that preliminary data suggests Russia used a North Korean missile in an attack that killed six people in a Ukrainian village.
This is not the first instance of North Korean military support to Russia. According to South Korean assessments, North Korea has sent approximately 15,000 troops to Russia since last year, along with significant military equipment, including ballistic missiles and artillery, to bolster Putin's invasion of Ukraine.
Strategic Implications
Rob Lee, a senior fellow at the Foreign Policy Research Institute, a Philadelphia-based think tank, highlighted the threat posed by North Korean resources. "Ballistic missile defence is one of Ukraine's greatest vulnerabilities, so any increase in the quantities of ballistic missiles they face will pose a greater challenge," he said. Lee added that a major concern for Ukraine is the state of its air defences this winter, when Russia might again target the power grid with heavy attacks, as it has in previous years.
Cherniak's assertions are based on intelligence that cannot be disclosed due to sensitivities, and Reuters could not independently verify them. The Russian Defence Ministry and North Korea's embassy at the United Nations in New York did not immediately respond to written requests for comment.
Broader Context
Putin has previously praised the bravery and heroism of North Korean soldiers who fought alongside Russian troops to repel a Ukrainian incursion into Russia's Kursk border region. The ongoing military cooperation between North Korea and Russia underscores the deepening alliance, which has significant implications for the conflict in Ukraine and regional security.
