Russian troops have so far launched over 20 North Korea-made missiles to attack Ukraine, killing at least 24 civilians and injuring over 100, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) reported on Feb. 22.
Since last autumn, North Korea has reportedly provided Russia with extensive weapons supplies, including artillery shells and ballistic missiles. Western and Ukrainian officials have confirmed their use in Ukraine.
Ukrainian authorities identified the North Korean missiles Russia has used to attack Ukraine as the Hwasong-11Ga (KN-23/24).
These missiles contain high-explosive warheads with a capacity equivalent to 500-1,000 kilograms of TNT and have a maximum range of 650 kilometers, according to Ukraine's Prosecutor General's Office.
One of the first cases of Russia using North Korean ballistic missiles was recorded on Dec. 30, 2023, during an attack on Zaporizhzhia, the SBU wrote.
The next time, Russia hit an apartment building in Kyiv with a North Korean missile in early January, killing four people and wounding over 50, according to the SBU.
Kateryna Hodunova
Russian forces have also reportedly used North Korea-made missiles to strike five front-line settlements in Donetsk Oblast, killing 17 civilians, and to attack Kharkiv, where three civilians were killed and over 60 injured.
The SBU also said it is establishing routes used by North Korea to supply ballistic missiles to Russia.
Prosecutor General Andrii Kostin said earlier in February that Russian attacks against Ukraine with North Korean missiles had killed 14 civilians and injured 70 more.
A North Korean ballistic missile fired into Ukraine by the Russian military last month contained hundreds of components produced by companies in the U.S. and Europe, the Conflict Armament Research (CAR) organization said in its February report.
South Korea warned on Jan. 11 that its northern neighbor may also sell Russia new types of tactical guided missiles as military cooperation between the two countries strengthens.
Katie Marie Davies
(Updated: )
