Russian forces have already fired 60 North Korean ballistic missiles at Ukraine – Ukrainian intelligence

Photo: missilethreat.csis

Alvina Kaminska

Russian troops have already used about 60 North Korean KN-23 ballistic missiles against Ukraine.

Andrii Cherniak, a representative of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, stated this in an interview with Radio Svoboda.

"Their accuracy, in principle, is not very high. We understand that the technologies used to manufacture them are outdated. On the other hand, they still pose a danger. There is no difference between dying from a missile manufactured in 2024 or dying from a missile manufactured using old technologies," Cherniak said.

He added that these missiles pose a severe danger to Ukrainian industry.

In addition, intelligence does not rule out that North Korea may supply Russia with artillery ammunition.

"If we talk about artillery ammunition, there are literally millions of artillery rounds. We frequently witness the transportation of cargo and containers. We do not exclude the fact that there may be artillery ammunition that North Korea manufactures, which is already in its warehouses," Cherniak said.

For reference:

The KN–23 missile is a North Korean product with the official name of Hwasong-11Ga. It has a striking resemblance to the Russian Iskander-M and South Korean Hyunmoo–2B ballistic missiles. Like the Iskander-M, this missile follows a semi-ballistic trajectory, reaching 50 km in altitude before traveling in the atmosphere, where it can adjust its flight path using aerodynamic rudders.

According to the Prosecutor General's Office, nearly half of the North Korean missiles fired at Ukraine exploded mid-flight despite having a maximum recorded launch range of up to 690 km and a 500 kg estimated warhead.

In April, UN experts confirmed that the debris from the missile that fell in Kharkiv in the winter belonged to a Hwasong-11 series missile.

As reported, Pyongyang is expanding a critical weapons production complex where short-range missiles are assembled. North Korea is transferring these missiles to the Russian Federation.

It should be noted that the Russian Federation continues to deepen bilateral relations with Iran and North Korea in exchange for providing lethal assistance to its army for use against Ukraine.

On June 19, Russian dictator Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un signed an agreement on a comprehensive strategic partnership. The agreement provides for mutual military assistance in the event of aggression against Pyongyang or Moscow.

Also, according to available information, a DPRK military contingent of up to 12 thousand people is undergoing training at five training grounds of the Eastern Military District of the Russian Armed Forces. This contingent includes at least 500 officers from North Korea, including three generals from the General Staff.

Also, according to Ukrainian intelligence, North Korea has already transferred 100 short-range ballistic missiles and more than 100 artillery systems to Russia.

It is worth adding that Russian dictator Vladimir Putin seeks to create a coalition of countries to position the association as a natural alternative to NATO.

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