Key facts
- A North Korean ballistic missile unit is deploying to Russia's Voronezh Oblast, according to Ukraine's military intelligence.
- The unit is expected to be equipped with up to 120 missiles and six launchers.
- Russia has already received 40 North Korean missiles.
- Approximately 90 North Korean personnel are expected to be based in Russia's Voronezh region.
- North Korea has become a key military partner for Russia since the 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
Ukraine's military intelligence has reported that a North Korean ballistic missile unit is deploying to Russia's Voronezh Oblast, potentially equipped with up to 120 missiles and six launchers for use in the Ukraine war. This deployment signifies an escalation of military cooperation between Moscow and Pyongyang, which has already seen North Korea supply ammunition and troops to Russia.
According to Andrii Cherniak, spokesperson for Ukraine's military intelligence, Russian forces have already received 40 missiles from a recent shipment. These North Korean KN-23 and KN-24 missiles are comparable to Russia's Iskander-M and the U.S.-made ATACMS, respectively, but are noted for being less precise. Their use poses a significant challenge to Ukraine's air defense capabilities, especially given the limited number of Patriot missile systems available.
Russian forces used North Korean KN-23 ballistic missiles to strike the village of Radushne, southeast of Kryvyi Rih in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, on July 30. This strike marked Russia's first use of North Korean missiles since August 2025, according to Cherniak.
North Korea has become one of Russia's key military partners since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. In addition to supplying ammunition and other weapons, Pyongyang has deployed troops to support Russian operations. Ukraine has stated that around 12,000 North Korean soldiers participated in Russia's 2024 counteroffensive in Kursk Oblast. President Zelensky has warned that Russia is preparing to receive an additional 30,000 North Korean troops.
The two countries have steadily expanded cooperation as Russia has become increasingly isolated from the West. They signed a 'Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Treaty' in June 2024, which took effect in December, and further expanded military cooperation in April 2026 with a supplementary defense pact.