Russia has considerably improved the KN-23 ballistic missiles supplied by North Korea, according to Ukraine
Russia has helped to significantly improve the North Korean KN-23 ballistic missiles, also known as Hwasong-11, said Kyrylo Boudanov, Ukrainian military intelligence chief (HUR), in an interview with the American site The War Zone Posted on June 9.
The first KN-23 initially stole with a deviation of a few kilometers and approximately half of those drawn on Ukraine by Russia worked and exploded in full flight, reported Reuters in May 2024, citing the office of the Attorney General of Ukraine. But now they reach their targets, said Boudanov, without specifying what has been changed in the North Korean missiles. “It is the result of the common work of Russian and North Korean specialists”he added.
According to Kyrylo Boudanov, Russia has also agreed to help North Korea start the national production of Shahed kamikazes.
The involvement of North Korea in the war in the fall of 2024, when it deployed thousands of troops on the western border of Russia to help repel a great Ukrainian incursion. This measure followed the signing of a defense treaty between the two countries in June 2024, forcing the two parties to provide military aid if one of them is attacked. North Korea only recognized its role in war until April 2025. Since the start of the invasion of Ukraine, North Korea has provided Russia ammunition, ballistic missiles and soldiers.
Source: Lemonde