Ukrainian military intelligence has claimed that a North Korean missile unit has been deployed in western Russia to support attacks on Ukraine.
According to Reuters on August 5, Andriy Cherniak, a representative of Ukraine's Ministry of Defense Intelligence, stated that a missile unit consisting of approximately 90 North Korean soldiers has begun to be stationed in Voronezh Oblast, western Russia.
Russia is reportedly planning to integrate these troops into the 112th Missile Brigade and deploy 120 North Korean-made ballistic missiles along with six launchers.
Cherniak noted that North Korea has recently sent an additional 40 KN-23 and KN-24 ballistic missiles and related personnel to Russia. The specific unit composition and total number of missiles are expected to be finalized at a high-level North Korea-Russia meeting scheduled for next month.
However, it remains unclear what role the North Korean military will play in Russia's missile operations. Reuters also stated that it could not independently verify Cherniak's claims.
This deployment indicates a potential expansion of military cooperation between North Korea and Russia, moving beyond missile supplies to include operational personnel. Since late 2023, Russia has been using North Korean KN-23 and KN-24 missiles in its attacks on Ukraine.
Last week, Russia reportedly launched two North Korean-made ballistic missiles at Ukraine for the first time since August 2025. Ukrainian authorities reported that one of the missiles destroyed a house in the central village of Radushne, killing at least five members of a family.
The KN-23 and KN-24 missiles are known to have a longer range and greater payload capacity than Russia's Iskander missiles, but they are believed to be less accurate. Ukraine is concerned that an increase in North Korean ballistic missiles, amid a lack of advanced air defense systems, will further strain its defensive capabilities.
Rob Lee, a senior fellow at the Foreign Policy Research Institute, stated, "Ballistic missile defense is one of Ukraine's biggest vulnerabilities, and as the number of ballistic missiles it has to contend with increases, it will face greater challenges."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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