Russia has fired new North Korean missiles produced this year in its strikes on Ukraine, according to a new report.
Photos of the missile components, which feature a 2024 production marking, are the latest evidence that an arms deal between Moscow and Pyongyang continues to fuel the war.
The new report was published by Conflict Armament Research, a group that tracks the use of weapons supplied in armed conflicts. Per CAR, a Ukrainian field “investigation team documented the remnants of four different North Korean missiles following a series of attacks” reported on July 30, August 5, August 6, and August 18.
One of the missiles featured a mark indicating it had been produced in 2024. “This is the first public evidence that missiles produced this year in North Korea are being used in Ukraine,” CAR said.
CAR said that the 2024 components, two jet vane actuators, were discovered among the remnants of a missile used in a Russian strike on August 18. The mark read “113,” which translates to 2024 on North Korea’s Juche calendar. CAR said that the missile parts were recovered north of Kyiv.
The use of a missile with components manufactured in 2024 hints at a rapid production-to-use cycle, meaning North Korea is moving quickly to get Russia the weapons it needs for its continued massive barrages on Ukraine.
As CAR noted, “the discovery of a 2024 production mark on one of the missiles reveals a short period between the production of these ballistic missiles and their use in Ukraine.”
The marking also means North Korea has been able to continue evading heavy sanctions in order to obtain the weapons materials it needs to build missiles.
Ivan Samoilov/Gwara Media/Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images
CAR’s investigation is the latest indication that Russia is using North Korean weapons in Ukraine. Last fall, Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un met to discuss a potential arms deal between the two nations. They further solidified this partnership this past May with a mutual defense pact.
South Korea, like the US, has documented large weapons shipments from North Korea to Russia since the war began in 2022.
In exchange for sending Russia ballistic missiles and millions of artillery shells, North Korea has potentially received food, fuel, and possibly the advanced military technologies it desires for nuclear-powered submarines, missiles, and so on. The details, however, are unclear.
The partnership between Moscow and Pyongyang has put the US, South Korea, and also China in precarious situations. The South has been sending ammo to support Ukraine via the US and other channels, fueling tensions with Russia, while Beijing is concerned about losing its influence over its neighbor. The arrangement causes instability.
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