North Korea is deploying a missile unit with six launchers and 120 ballistic missiles to western Russia, according to Ukraine's intelligence chief, in a move that could significantly increase the threat to Ukrainian cities and infrastructure.
Missile unit headed to Voronezh
Andrii Cherniak, head of Ukraine's Intelligence Agency, told Reuters that the unit, which includes 90 North Korean soldiers, would be stationed in Voronezh, Russia. The deployment comes as Ukraine struggles to defend against Russian missile attacks, with its air defense arsenal running low.
Russia has increasingly relied on ballistic missiles, which are difficult for traditional air defense systems to intercept in time. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said last week that early data suggests a North Korean missile was used in an attack that killed six people in a Ukrainian village.
Growing military cooperation
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. According to South Korean assessments, North Korea has sent around 15,000 troops to Russia since last year.
In addition to troops, North Korea has supplied large quantities of military equipment, including ballistic missiles and artillery, to support Putin's invasion of Ukraine. Rob Lee, a senior fellow at the Foreign Policy Research Institute, a Philadelphia-based think tank, said the North Korean resources pose a significant threat for Kyiv.
“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. He added that a particularly big concern for Ukraine will be the state of its air defences this winter, when Russia could again target the power grid with heavy attacks as in past years.
Verification and response
Reuters could not independently verify Cherniak's assertions, which he said were based on intelligence that could not be disclosed because of the sensitivities. 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.
