US is concerned Ukraine has become testing ground for North Korea's missiles
122-мм артилерійські снаряди КНДР, які поставляють Росії. Жовтень 2023. Фото: Ukraine Weapons Tracker
The United States is concerned that Russia's use of North Korean missiles in Ukraine gives Pyongyang a rare opportunity to test its weapons in actual combat, which could improve their effectiveness.
This is reported by Bloomberg, referring to the words of the commander of the US Pacific Army, General Charles Flynn, Rubryka writes.
"I don't believe that in my recent memory that the North Korean military has had a battlefield laboratory quite like the Russians are affording them to have in Ukraine," the American officer said.
Flynn noted that this gives the DPRK the opportunity to gain valuable information about technical issues, procedures, and the munitions themselves. He added that the United States will closely monitor how events develop.
The general emphasized that he and others are very concerned that North Korea will be able to learn about its weapons, which "they would otherwise not have access to absent a conflict," for example, the war in Ukraine.
It will be recalled that on March 19, the US State Department announced at least 10 cases of the use of North Korean missiles to attack Ukraine.
High-ranking US official Chung Park, who deals with North Korean issues at the State Department, emphasized that the US is very concerned about the level of activity, the development of weapons, and the rapprochement of North Korea with Russia over the past couple of years.
"It certainly worries us that North Korea is selling weapons to Russia so that Russia can carry out an illegal, brutal attack on Ukraine, kill Ukrainians, destroy Ukrainian infrastructure, and simply destroy lives. We are very concerned about this.
There have been at least ten incidents of North Korean missiles being used on the battlefield. So we're very concerned about what this means for future proliferation and how it worsens things," Chung Park said.
What is known about the transfer of weapons to Russia from North Korea
Previously, the coordinator of the National Security Council of the White House, John Kirby, reported that Russia had purchased ballistic missiles from North Korea. They have already been used for attacks on Ukraine.
Soon, ISW also noted that Russia was stepping up efforts to obtain ballistic missiles from abroad, as these missiles may be more effective at penetrating or evading Ukrainian air defense.
On January 11, the Prosecutor General of Ukraine, Andrii Kostin, confirmed on Suspilne.Sprotyv that Russia is already using missiles from North Korea in the war against Ukraine.
And later, on February 16, he said that the Russians had already used at least 24 ballistic missiles of North Korean production during missile attacks against Ukraine.
In addition, as reported by Bloomberg, North Korea sent more than 1 million artillery shells to Russia in October. Deliveries began in August 2023.
It is worth noting that Russian artillerymen complain about the poor quality of shells from North Korea.
