North Korea’s involvement in the ongoing war in Ukraine has come under renewed scrutiny after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy claimed that a Russian missile strike on Kyiv, which killed 12 civilians, involved a ballistic missile manufactured by Pyongyang. Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine’s intelligence services were working to verify the missile’s origin, but if confirmed, it would further demonstrate what he described as a “criminal alliance” between Russia and North Korea. The missile in question, believed to be a KN-23, struck a residential building in Kyiv’s Sviatoshynskyi district in the early hours of Thursday, injuring at least 90 others.
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Despite official denials from both Moscow and Pyongyang regarding any arms transfers or deployment of North Korean troops, experts have documented substantial evidence of North Korean military support to Russia. Verified intelligence, satellite imagery, and open-source investigations suggest that since the end of 2023, North Korea has supplied Russia with hundreds of ballistic missiles, large quantities of artillery shells, and multiple-launch rocket systems. According to Ukraine’s military intelligence, around 148 KN-23 and KN-24 ballistic missiles were delivered by early 2024, with the KN-23 capable of carrying a one-tonne warhead—making it more powerful than comparable Russian models.
A joint investigation by Reuters and the UK-based Open Source Centre (OSC) uncovered details of extensive arms shipments from North Korea to Russia. The OSC tracked at least 64 deliveries over 20 months, involving nearly 16,000 containers filled with ammunition and munitions, most recently on 17 March. It is estimated that more than four million artillery shells have been sent to the front lines. These findings indicate that North Korean arms have significantly bolstered Russia’s war effort, with one Ukrainian military expert estimating they account for up to 70% of artillery munitions used by Russian forces.
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Further concerns have been raised about North Korea’s reported deployment of troops. Following a June 2024 summit between Kim Jong-un and Vladimir Putin, an estimated 11,000 North Korean soldiers were sent to the Kursk region to support Russian defences against Ukrainian advances. Although many were reportedly killed, injured, or captured—prompting a partial withdrawal—South Korean officials claimed Pyongyang dispatched an additional 3,000 troops earlier this year. Experts warn that North Korea’s military support could escalate further, with the potential supply of more advanced weaponry and technology, heightening instability not only in Ukraine but across East Asia.
