North Korea Deploys Missile Unit to Russia for Ukraine Strikes, Kyiv Claims

A North Korean missile unit has begun deploying to western Russia, potentially equipping itself with 120 ballistic missiles and six launchers for strikes against Ukraine, according to an official from Ukraine's military intelligence agency.

The deployment, if confirmed, would represent an escalation of the military cooperation between Russia and North Korea since Moscow's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Andrii Cherniak, an official with Ukraine’s Main Directorate of Intelligence, stated that Russia plans to station the unit, comprising approximately 90 North Korean personnel, within the 112th Missile Brigade in the western Russian region of Voronezh. Cherniak also indicated that Pyongyang has already sent a new batch of 40 KN-23 and KN-24 missiles and personnel to Russia, with the final configuration and total missile count to be determined in high-level talks next month.

Russia reportedly expects the deployment to involve 120 North Korean ballistic missiles and six launchers. The precise role the North Korean personnel would play in Russian missile operations remains unclear.

This reported deployment coincides with Russia's recent use of North Korean missiles against Ukraine. Last week, Ukraine stated that a North Korean missile destroyed a residential home in the village of Radushne, killing five family members. Cherniak identified the missile used in that strike as belonging to the new batch of 40 missiles. He noted this was the first recorded use of North Korean ballistic missiles since August 2025.

Rob Lee, a senior fellow at the Foreign Policy Research Institute, described North Korean missile resources as a significant threat to Kyiv. "Ballistic missile defense is one of Ukraine’s greatest vulnerabilities so any increase in the quantities of ballistic missiles they face will pose a greater challenge," Lee said. He added that Ukraine's air defense capabilities, particularly during winter when Russia has previously targeted the power grid, are a major concern.

North Korea has become a close ally of Russia, signing a mutual defense pact in 2024. Ukrainian officials claim Pyongyang has supplied millions of artillery shells and sent 14,000 troops to Russia's Kursk region to deter Ukrainian incursions. Ukrainian military sources have described North Korea's KN-23 and KN-24 missiles as having greater range and a larger payload than Russia's Iskander missiles, but being less accurate and linked to high civilian casualties.

The use of these missiles aligns with Russia's strategy of employing ballistic missiles that can only be intercepted by advanced air defense systems like the U.S.-made Patriot. Russia began firing KN-23 and KN-24 missiles into Ukraine in late 2023, with North Korea supplying an estimated 150 missiles between the end of 2023 and August 2025, according to Cherniak. He also stated that around 9,500 North Korean troops are currently in Russia's Kursk region, bordering Ukraine, though they are not directly involved in combat operations against Ukraine.

Reuters could not independently verify Cherniak's assertions, citing the sensitive nature of the intelligence. The Russian Defence Ministry and North Korea's United Nations embassy did not immediately respond to requests for comment.