Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy mentioned on the 30th (local time) that Russia had employed missiles manufactured in North Korea during air strikes on Ukraine for the first time in about a year.
On the same day, Zelenskyy stated, “Further investigation and verification are required,” but noted, “According to initial information, it seems Russia has employed North Korean missiles following a prolonged period without such use.”
He said, “The antagonists in Moscow, because of their missiles, have joined forces with the unstable government in North Korea to deploy North Korean soldiers at Europe’s frontiers and murder Ukrainian children.”
This pertains to an event in which six individuals, including two minors, lost their lives near the village of Kryvyi Rih in central Ukraine following a Russian air strike the night before, during which North Korean missiles are said to have been utilized.
Zelenskyy’s comments followed closely after Reuters reported that Russia had launched North Korean missiles in air strikes against Ukraine. Reuters mentioned that a family was killed near Kryvyi Rih in central Ukraine during a Russian attack the night before, and it was very probable that North Korean missiles were involved.
Russia has been previously studied to have fired missiles like the KN-23 (Hwasong-11ga) and KN-24 (Hwasong-11na) into Ukraine. The KN-23 is comparable to Russia’s Iskander missile, whereas the KN-24 is akin to the U.S. ATACMS.
A source stated, “Russia’s resumption of North Korean missiles after a long period indicates that it has recently restocked its supplies while increasing missile strikes against Ukraine.” This suggests the likelihood that Russia obtained missile reserves from North Korea.
On the 27th, Zelenskyy asserted that North Korea would deploy an extra 30,000 soldiers to Russia. That same day, Natalya Gumeniuk, a spokesperson for the Ukrainian non-profit Public Interest Journalism Institute (PIJL), mentioned, “There are reports indicating that Russia and North Korea are exploring collaborations to set up defense industry facilities in North Korea, specifically the creation of a drone manufacturing plant.”
North Korea entered into a ‘Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Treaty’ with Russia in June 2024, strengthening military connections. In October of the same year, it also sent soldiers to the Russian frontline in Kursk to support Russian troops.
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