By Abdullahi Mukhtar Algasgaini
North Korea is taking its military involvement in Russia’s war against Ukraine to a new level, with Ukrainian military intelligence reporting that a North Korean missile unit is being deployed to Russia’s Voronezh region.
The unit reportedly includes approximately 90 North Korean personnel and could operate ballistic missiles including the KN-23 and KN-24 variants. Ukrainian intelligence officials say the weapons could potentially be used against targets in Ukraine, with the unit eventually fielding up to 120 missiles and six launchers.
The development represents a significant escalation beyond North Korea’s previous role as a supplier of weapons and troops. Pyongyang has already provided Russia with ballistic missiles and thousands of military personnel, while North Korean missiles have reportedly been used in attacks on Ukrainian cities and infrastructure.
With the missile unit now moving into western Russia, Kyiv faces the prospect of a new wave of ballistic missile attacks — backed directly by Pyongyang and launched from Russian territory.
The deployment comes as Russia continues to rely on foreign military support to sustain its nearly two-year-long invasion of Ukraine, with both Iran and North Korea supplying weapons to Moscow’s forces.
Ukrainian officials have not specified when the unit might become operational or how many missile systems have already been transferred.
