Ukrainian intelligence says North Korea deploys ballistic missile unit to Russia with 120 missiles for strikes on Ukraine

Ukrainian intelligence discloses North Korean missile deployment

Ukraine's Main Directorate of Intelligence says North Korea has begun deploying a ballistic missile unit to western Russia, with the force expected to operate 120 missiles and six launchers against Ukrainian targets. Andrii Cherniak, a spokesperson for the agency, told Reuters that Russia plans to station approximately 90 North Korean personnel in the Voronezh region, within its 112th Missile Brigade. A source familiar with the matter confirmed to Reuters that the United States is aware of the deployment but declined to elaborate. The CIA declined to comment and the White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Missiles already flowing, final numbers pending

Pyongyang has already sent a new batch of 40 KN-23 and KN-24 missiles along with servicing personnel to Russia, Cherniak said. The final configuration of the deployment and the total number of missiles will be settled at top-level talks next month, he added. From late 2023 through August 2025, North Korea supplied Russia with approximately 150 such missiles, according to Cherniak. Satellite images from August 1 show a Russian An-124 heavy transport aircraft on the Baltimor military airfield in Voronezh Oblast, the type of cargo plane suited for carrying such weapons systems.

Recent strikes and civilian toll

The reported deployment coincides with Russia firing its first two North Korean missiles at Ukraine last week since August 2025. A KN-23 missile struck a residential house in the village of Radushne in central Ukraine, killing at least five members of one family, according to Ukrainian sources. The KN-23 has a range of roughly 700 kilometres, exceeding the Russian Iskander-M by 150 to 200 kilometres, allowing launchers to operate deeper inside Russian territory while still reaching targets across Ukraine. However, the missile is considerably less accurate than its Russian counterpart and has been linked to attacks causing high civilian casualties.

Ukraine's air defence gap

Rob Lee, a senior fellow at the Foreign Policy Research Institute in Philadelphia, described the North Korean resources as a significant threat.

Ballistic missile defence is one of Ukraine's greatest vulnerabilities so any increase in the quantities of ballistic missiles they face will pose a greater challenge.

Ukraine suffers from an acute shortage of modern air defence systems and interceptor missiles for its Patriot batteries. Russia has increasingly relied on ballistic missiles, which are particularly difficult to intercept. Lee flagged the state of Ukrainian air defences this coming winter as a particular concern, given the possibility of renewed Russian strikes on the power grid.

Broader North Korean military presence

Beyond missiles, approximately 9,500 North Korean soldiers are currently stationed in Russia's Kursk region bordering Ukraine, though they are not directly participating in combat operations at present, Cherniak said. Western intelligence calculations indicate Kim Jong Un sent between 12,000 and 14,000 soldiers to Russia in 2024, where they helped repel a Ukrainian incursion. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said last month that the Kremlin expects North Korea to send an additional 30,000 troops, with preparations already underway. Moscow and Pyongyang signed a mutual defense pact in 2024. Neither government has publicly commented on the missile unit deployment.