Russia launched new North Korean missiles manufactured in Ukraine this year

One of the missiles had a mark indicating that it was produced in 2024. “This is the first public evidence that missiles produced this year in North Korea are being used in Ukraine,” CAR said.

CAR said the 2024 components, two jet vane actuators, were discovered among the remains of a missile used in a Russian attack on August 18. The marking read “113,” which translates to 2024 in North Korea’s Juche calendar. CAR said parts of the missiles were recovered north of Kiev.

The use of a missile with components manufactured in 2024 suggests a rapid cycle from production to use, meaning North Korea is moving quickly to get Russia the weapons it needs for its ongoing massive barrage on Ukraine.

As CAR noted, “the discovery of a 2024 production mark on one of the missiles reveals a short period between the production of these ballistic missiles and their use in Ukraine.”

The marking also means North Korea has been able to continue to avoid heavy sanctions to obtain the weapons materials it needs to build missiles.

The CAR investigation is the latest indication that Russia is using North Korean weapons in Ukraine. Last fall, Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un met to discuss a potential arms deal between the two nations. They further strengthened this partnership last May with a mutual defense pact.

South Korea, like the US, has documented large arms shipments from North Korea to Russia since the start of the war in 2022.

In exchange for sending Russia ballistic missiles and millions of artillery shells, North Korea potentially received food, fuel, and possibly the advanced military technologies it wants for submarines, missiles, and so on. The details, however, are unclear.

The partnership between Moscow and Pyongyang has put the US, South Korea and China in precarious situations. The South has sent ammunition to support Ukraine through the US and other channels, fueling tensions with Russia as Beijing worries about losing influence over its neighbor. The arrangement causes instability.