Pyongyang's arsenal: North Korean missiles bolster Russian forces
Andriy Cherniak, a representative of Ukrainian military intelligence (HUR), revealed in an interview with Radio Liberty that Russia has already used approximately 60 North Korean KN-23 ballistic missiles in attacks on Ukraine. Pyongyang also systematically supplies its ally with vast quantities of artillery shells and, more recently, heavy military equipment.
– As of today, we have information that Russia has used about 60 North Korean missiles against Ukraine. Their accuracy, in principle, is not very high. We understand that the technologies under which they were produced are outdated. On the other hand, they still pose a threat because there is no difference between death from a missile made several years ago and one made using old technologies,– said Andriy Cherniak.
KN-23 ballistic missiles in service of Russians
KN-23 (also known as Hwasong-11Ga) are solid-fuel ballistic missiles that are sometimes compared to Russian Iskanders.
North Korean designs are somewhat lighter but offer a greater range—estimated to be over 600 kilometres. The warheads used in the KN-23 can weigh about 500 kilograms. Variants with conventional warheads reach Russia, but the KN-23 can also be armed with nuclear warheads.
Andriy Cherniak reminded that from the beginning of the war in Ukraine, North Korean artillery ammunition has been a significant support for Putin's army.
– If we talk about artillery ammunition, it numbers in the millions. We constantly observe the movement of additional loads and containers. Yes, this is also a huge threat to Ukraine because, besides having its military-industrial complex and production capacities, Russia also uses ammunition from North Korea,– the Ukrainian stated.
Growing support for Russia from North Korea
Also, in a recently issued assessment by the intelligence services of the USA and South Korea, information was provided about significant support flowing from Pyongyang to Moscow. It was estimated that there might already be 20,000 containers with several million artillery shells.
In the last quarter of 2024, Putin's army also began receiving North Korean heavy military equipment. It is noted that there are already over 100 various types of artillery systems, including multiple rocket launchers and M1989 "Koksan" artillery using 170-millimetre calibre guns.
