North Korea sends missile unit to Russia as Putin tries to exploit Ukraine weakness

Key Points:

• A North Korean missile unit of about 90 personnel has been deployed to Russia's Voronezh region, expected to be equipped with 120 ballistic missiles and six launchers for strikes against Ukraine, marking an expansion of military cooperation between Moscow and Pyongyang.
• Russia has increasingly used North Korean ballistic missiles, such as the KN-23 and KN-24, against Ukraine since late 2023, exploiting Ukraine's limited high-end air defenses; these missiles have greater range and payload than Russia's Iskander but are less accurate and linked to civilian casualties.
• Ukraine faces significant challenges defending against the growing ballistic missile threat, especially with winter approaching when Russia may intensify attacks on critical infrastructure like the power grid.
• North Korea has also sent troops and millions of artillery shells to support Russia's war effort, with reports of around 9,500 North Korean troops in Russia's Kursk region and potential plans for up to 30,000 more in Voronezh.
• Ukrainian intelligence sources emphasize the seriousness of the North Korean missile deployment, though independent verification is lacking and neither Russia nor North Korea have commented on the reports.