North Korea Sends Missile Units to Russia
Pyongyang deploys a special missile unit with 120 ballistic missiles, while preparations are underway to receive an additional 30,000 troops, Ukraine's top military warns.
Pyongyang deploys a special missile unit with 120 ballistic missiles, while preparations are underway to receive an additional 30,000 troops, Ukraine's top military warns.
Military cooperation between Moscow and Pyongyang is entering a new, more dangerous phase. According to Ukraine's military intelligence (HUR), North Korea is currently sending a specialized missile unit to Russia, with training already underway at a Russian training ground.
The unit numbers about 90 personnel and will be stationed in Russia's western Voronezh region, as part of the Russian 112th Missile Brigade. Andriy Cherniak, a HUR representative, told The Independent that Russia expects this unit to be equipped with 120 North Korean ballistic missiles and six launchers intended for strikes on Ukrainian territory.
In parallel with the arrival of missile personnel, the influx of infantry continues unabated. Anton Gerashchenko, a former advisor to Ukraine's Ministry of Internal Affairs, released footage showing North Korean soldiers in Russian uniforms undergoing training in shelters and at training grounds.
Currently, about 9,500 North Korean soldiers are in Russia's Kursk region, out of the 14,000 previously deployed. However, the pressure is not letting up. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has warned that Moscow is already preparing infrastructure in the Voronezh region to receive an additional 30,000 troops from Pyongyang. "This is a threat to the entire world," Zelensky stated.
Pyongyang has already delivered a new shipment of 40 KN-23 and KN-24 ballistic missiles to Russia. These missiles have greater range and payload than Russia's Iskander missiles but are significantly less accurate. This often results in attacks with a high number of civilian casualties. Last week, such a strike on the village of Radushne killed five members of one family.
Analyst Rob Lee from the Foreign Policy Research Institute highlights that this poses a serious threat to Kyiv. Ukraine chronically lacks advanced air defense systems, as only American Patriot systems can reliably intercept such missiles. The increase in ballistic missiles adds further pressure on Ukraine's energy grid ahead of the upcoming winter.