Russia receives new North Korean missiles, prepares to intensify strikes on Ukraine
Photo: Kim Jong Un and Putin (Getty Images)
Russia has likely received a new batch of ballistic missiles from North Korea and is preparing to use them more actively in strikes against Ukraine. This is evidenced by the resumption of the use of North Korean missiles after nearly a year-long pause, according to Reuters.
According to the agency, Russia likely already used one of the ballistic missiles received from North Korea during a strike on a village near Kryvyi Rih, which resulted in the death of an entire family.
Two interlocutors of the agency noted that this may be the first case of using a North Korean missile in the war in nearly a year.
In their opinion, the resumption of the use of such weapons indicates that Moscow has received new shipments of missiles from North Korea and may be preparing for more intense missile attacks.
What missiles Russia could have used
One of the Reuters sources said that during the attack, Ukrainian radars recorded two characteristic missile traces that correspond to KN-23 or KN-24 short-range ballistic missiles of North Korean production.
At the same time, investigators will be able to make final conclusions only after examining the debris found at the impact site.
According to the agency's interlocutor, this examination is still ongoing, but he expressed confidence that it is indeed a North Korean-made missile.
Reuters notes that Russia had already used North Korean KN-23 and KN-24 missiles for strikes on Ukraine in late 2023.
According to a military source of the agency, these missiles have a longer range and a more powerful warhead than Russian Iskander ballistic missiles.
At the same time, they are inferior to Russian counterparts in accuracy.
Which systems can intercept such missiles
According to Reuters, Russia's use of more ballistic missiles means an increased burden on Ukraine's air defense system.
The agency's interlocutors note that such targets can primarily be intercepted by American Patriot surface-to-air missile systems.
Context of the news
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also stated that Russia attacked Kryvyi Rih with a North Korean missile. He reported that Russian units on the night of July 30 struck the village of Radushne near Kryvyi Rih with a ballistic missile from North Korea.
Recall that on the night of July 30, Russia carried out a combined missile and drone attack on Ukraine. Kyiv and the region, Lviv, the Dnipropetrovsk region, and other regions came under attack.
