Ukraine Says North Korean Missile Unit Deploying to Russia

Tomahawk missile debris from test launch 

 

Ukraine Says North Korean Missile Unit Deploying to Support Russia

Article

LONDON — August 5, 2026

Ukraine's military intelligence agency says a North Korean missile unit has begun deploying to western Russia, marking what could be a significant expansion of military cooperation between Moscow and Pyongyang during the war in Ukraine.

According to Andrii Cherniak, an official with Ukraine's Main Directorate of Intelligence, the unit could include about 90 North Korean personnel and eventually be equipped with up to 120 ballistic missiles and six launchers. He said the force is expected to be based in Russia's Voronezh region within the country's 112th Missile Brigade.

Cherniak said Russia has already received another shipment of 40 North Korean KN-23 and KN-24 ballistic missiles, along with military personnel. He added that the final structure of the deployment and the total number of missiles are expected to be decided during high-level talks next month.

The exact role North Korean personnel would play in Russian missile operations has not been confirmed.

Ukraine says the reported deployment comes as Russia increases its use of ballistic missiles, which are more difficult to intercept than many other types of missiles. Ukrainian officials have repeatedly warned that the country faces shortages of advanced air defense interceptors, particularly systems capable of stopping ballistic missile attacks.

Military analysts say any increase in Russia's ballistic missile arsenal would create additional challenges for Ukraine's air defense network. They also warn that the threat could become more serious during the winter if Russia resumes large-scale attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure.

The reported deployment follows claims by Ukrainian authorities that Russia recently used North Korean ballistic missiles in attacks for the first time since August 2025. Ukrainian officials also said a North Korean missile struck a residential building in central Ukraine last week, killing at least five members of the same family.

North Korea's KN-23 and KN-24 missiles are believed to have a longer range and larger payload than Russia's Iskander ballistic missile. However, Ukrainian military officials say the North Korean systems are generally less accurate.

North Korea has become one of Russia's closest military partners since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in 2022. The two countries signed a mutual defense agreement in 2024, and Ukraine says North Korea has supplied Russia with millions of artillery shells, ballistic missiles, and thousands of troops.

The Russian Defense Ministry and North Korea's mission to the United Nations did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the Ukrainian claims.

The reported deployment has not been independently verified, and Ukrainian officials say some intelligence details cannot be released because of security concerns.