North Korea's missile unit seeks first deployment to Russia

[Financial News, New York = Reporter Lee Byung-chul] North Korea is reportedly preparing to deploy a missile unit to Russia for the first time in support of the war in Ukraine. Beyond supplying troops and artillery shells, the move could further deepen military cooperation between North Korea and Russia and place a significant burden on Ukraine's air defense network.
According to Reuters on the 6th local time, Ukraine's military intelligence agency (HUR) said the North Korean missile unit has begun moving to western Russia and could eventually operate 120 ballistic missiles and six mobile launchers.
Andriy Cherniak, a spokesperson for Ukraine's military intelligence agency, said Russia plans to deploy a North Korean missile unit of about 90 personnel to the 112th Missile Brigade in the Voronezh region of western Russia. A source familiar with the matter also told Reuters that the United States is aware of the North Korean unit's deployment to Russia. The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) declined to comment, and The White House did not issue a separate statement.
North Korea has already sent an additional 40 KN-23 short-range ballistic missiles and related personnel to Russia, according to reports. However, the final deployment scale and operational method are expected to be decided at a high-level meeting between the two countries next month.
Rob Lee, a senior fellow at the Foreign Policy Research Institute (FPRI), said, "Ballistic missile defense is one of Ukraine's biggest vulnerabilities," adding, "As the number of North Korean ballistic missiles grows, Ukraine's defense burden will become much heavier." He said Ukraine's air defenses will face even greater pressure this winter, when Russia is likely to intensify attacks on the power grid.
North Korea has emerged as a key military ally since Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The two countries signed a mutual defense treaty in 2024, and the Ukrainian government estimates that North Korea has supplied Russia with millions of artillery shells and sent about 14,000 troops to the Kursk region so far.
About 9,500 North Korean troops are currently stationed in Russia's Kursk region, but Ukraine's military intelligence agency said they are not currently being used in direct combat against Ukraine. President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy claimed last month that Russia had requested an additional 30,000 North Korean troops and was making preparations to receive them in the Voronezh region.




[email protected] Reporter Lee Byung-chul Reporter