Ukraine’s Main Directorate of Intelligence has reported that a North Korean missile forces unit has begun deploying in Russia’s western regions, marking a significant expansion of military cooperation between Moscow and Pyongyang that could reshape the ballistic missile threat facing Kyiv.
According to intelligence official Andrii Cherniak, Russia plans to station approximately 90 North Korean servicemen in the western part of Voronezh Oblast as part of the 112th Missile Brigade. The formation is expected to include 120 ballistic missiles and six launchers capable of striking Ukrainian territory.
The deployment coincides with reports that Russia carried out its first tests of North Korean missiles against Ukraine in several weeks last month. North Korea has already sent a new batch of 40 KN-23 and KN-24 missiles along with personnel to Russia, though the final configuration will be determined during high-level talks scheduled for next month.
Cherniak noted that the KN-23 and KN-24 missiles have a longer range and larger warhead than Russia’s Iskander system, but are significantly less accurate, a factor linked to the high number of civilian casualties from their use. The missiles fit into Russia’s broader trend of deploying larger numbers of ballistic weapons that require specialized Western defense systems to intercept.
Rob Lee, a senior fellow at the Foreign Policy Research Institute, warned that the deployment poses a serious threat. Missile defense systems are one of Ukraine’s greatest vulnerabilities, so any increase in the number of ballistic missiles it faces will create an even greater challenge, Lee said, adding that the state of air defense this winter is particularly concerning.
The deployment adds to an already deep military-technical relationship between Russia and North Korea. According to Ukrainian intelligence, North Korea has provided Russia with millions of artillery shells and redeployed 14,000 troops to Kursk Oblast in 2024 to repel Ukraine’s ground offensive. By the end of 2023 to 2025, Russia had received around 150 KN-23 and KN-24 missiles from Pyongyang.
Ukrainian officials reported last week that a North Korean missile was used to destroy a residential building in the village of Radushne, killing at least five members of one family. Zelenskyy said last month that the Kremlin sought to send an additional 30,000 North Korean troops, with Russia preparing to receive them in Voronezh Oblast.
The intelligence revelation comes as Ukraine continues to emphasize its urgent need for modern air defense systems. With approximately 9,500 North Korean troops already stationed in Kursk Oblast, the addition of a dedicated missile unit represents a qualitative escalation in the threat facing Ukrainian cities and infrastructure heading into winter.
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