North Korean ballistic missiles have once again been deployed over Ukraine as the ongoing war with Russia continues, prompting President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to renew warnings about the escalating threat posed by the Moscow-Pyongyang alliance. He has described the potential danger to Europe and Asia as ‘extremely dangerous,’ stressing the need to address the situation before it escalates further.
Zelenskyy’s statements came after Ukraine’s military intelligence chief, Kyrylo Budanov, revealed in an interview that Russia has significantly improved North Korea’s KN-23 ballistic missiles. This development has raised alarm over the possibility of further nuclear threats, as the improved missiles are now hitting Ukrainian targets with ‘deadly accuracy.’ Budanov pointed out that the missile advancements have been influenced by a mutual defense pact between Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, which was formalized in June 2024.
Earlier this year, the Multilateral Sanctions Monitoring Team confirmed that Pyongyang has supplied over 11,000 troops, along with 9 million rounds of ammunition and at least 100 ballistic missiles to Russia. However, reports from late 2024 indicated that some of these missiles were malfunctioning and even exploded mid-air. Nonetheless, Budanov reported that the current version of the missiles now hits targets with deadly precision, underscoring the dangerous escalation of the situation.
Zelenskyy added that Ukraine is closely monitoring evidence of Russia-Iranian drone technologies spreading to North Korea, which could further destabilize the region. The intelligence chief also warned about the potential for these developments to change the military balance between North Korea and South Korea, highlighting the broader global security implications of this cooperation. He also emphasized that Russia’s aid to North Korea includes helping with the development of missile carriers, which could further escalate the threat of nuclear capabilities in the region.
North Korean ballistic missiles have once again been deployed over Ukraine as the ongoing war with Russia continues, prompting President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to renew warnings about the escalating threat posed by the Moscow-Pyongyang alliance. He has described the potential danger to Europe and Asia as ‘extremely dangerous,’ stressing the need to address the situation before it escalates further.
Zelenskyy’s statements came after Ukraine’s military intelligence chief, Kyrylo Budanov, revealed in an interview that Russia has significantly improved North Korea’s KN-23 ballistic missiles. This development has raised alarm over the possibility of further nuclear threats, as the improved missiles are now hitting Ukrainian targets with ‘deadly accuracy.’ Budanov pointed out that the missile advancements have been influenced by a mutual defense pact between Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, which was formalized in June 2024.
Earlier this year, the Multilateral Sanctions Monitoring Team confirmed that Pyongyang has supplied over 11,000 troops, along with 9 million rounds of ammunition and at least 100 ballistic missiles to Russia. However, reports from late 2024 indicated that some of these missiles were malfunctioning and even exploded mid-air. Nonetheless, Budanov reported that the current version of the missiles now hits targets with deadly precision, underscoring the dangerous escalation of the situation.
Zelenskyy added that Ukraine is closely monitoring evidence of Russia-Iranian drone technologies spreading to North Korea, which could further destabilize the region. The intelligence chief also warned about the potential for these developments to change the military balance between North Korea and South Korea, highlighting the broader global security implications of this cooperation. He also emphasized that Russia’s aid to North Korea includes helping with the development of missile carriers, which could further escalate the threat of nuclear capabilities in the region.