North Korea will provide Russia with more ballistic missiles, howitzers in 2025 - Ukraine's intel chief
Photo: Head of Ukraine's intelligence, Kyrylo Budanov (Vitalii Nosach, RBC-Ukraine)
North Korea will send Russia another 150 short-range ballistic missiles this year. Pyongyang is also likely to transfer additional howitzers, as the head of Ukraine's intelligence, Kyrylo Budanov, said in an interview with The War Zone.
Pyongyang is expected to send another 150 KN-23 short-range ballistic missiles to Moscow in 2025. Last year Russia received 148 such missiles.
North Korean missiles are launched at Ukraine from the Kursk and Bryansk regions of Russia.
Over the past three months, North Korea has provided Russia with about 120 units of 170-mm M1989 Koksan self-propelled artillery systems and 120 240-mm M-1991 multiple launch rocket systems. The DPRK is likely to send Russia at least as many more in the future.
“They have a lot of these systems,” the Defense Intelligence chief added.
Most of these weapons are used either against Ukrainian troops or for training in Russia.
“The 170mm weapons have powerful ammunition and good capability. The 240mm MLRS are like any other heavy systems. They make more problems on the front line,” he explained.
DPRK reinforcements in Kursk region
In the fall of 2024, North Korea sent its troops to Russia to participate in the war against Ukraine. DPRK soldiers are taking part in hostilities in the Kursk region.
According to intelligence, North Korea could send 11,000 troops to Russia. The New York Times, citing a Pentagon official, reported that Pyongyang could send reinforcements to the Kursk region within two months.
According to the BBC, about a thousand DPRK soldiers fighting against Ukrainian forces were killed in the Kursk region.
