In one of his most recent reports to Congress, United States Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III informed lawmakers about the current situation in the Russian-Ukrainian conflict. Providing a complex overview for the Ukrainian Armed Forces, he also dedicated part of the briefing to detailing how Russia is rebuilding military capabilities and replenishing lost equipment with the increasing support of allies such as Iran, China, and North Korea. A separate mention is needed for the regime in Pyongyang, as the conflict would allow the North Korean Armed Forces to test their short-range ballistic missiles under real combat conditions through their deployment by the Russian Armed Forces.
It is not surprising that over the past few months, North Korea, along with Iran and China, have become key allies in sustaining Russia’s war effort. These countries have provided various military equipment in areas where they excel. The Iranian regime with its drones and loitering munitions, China with raw materials and high-tech components, while North Korea with artillery ammunition and ballistic missiles. The deployment of this type of North Korean-origin weaponry by Russia against Ukraine would have allowed the Pyongyang regime to learn and test its missiles under real combat conditions, in order to introduce future improvements or refinements to their design. Also worth noting is the potential future Russian support through the transfer of technology in sensitive areas as a reciprocal gesture for the support provided in their war against Ukraine.
This was made clear in the US Secretary of Defense’s conference with lawmakers, stating, “Without the assistance of Iran, North Korea, and China, this probably would not have happened to the extent that it did.” Adding to the growing concern that this could serve as a testing ground to enhance the arsenal of missiles of various ranges possessed by the North Korean Armed Forces.
Various US specialized media outlets, such as Air & Space Forces Magazine, consulted researchers from the Brookings Institution like Andrew Yeo. The researcher told the outlet, “North Koreans can learn how effective their weapons are.” He added, “I can’t say that these improvements will happen immediately, but I would say that within a year or two, they could introduce improvements to their missiles.”
Various reports gathered by Western media have indicated the limited effectiveness of North Korean ballistic missiles used by Russia against Ukraine. Based on investigations of the remnants of these missiles by Ukrainian researchers, they expressed that half of the missiles fired between December and February lost their trajectories and exploded in the air, according to a source that told Reuters news agency.
While there is no detailed account of the missiles provided to Russia, it is speculated that North Korea has mainly sent short-range ballistic missiles Hwasong-11A, also known as “KN-23”. These have an operational range of nearly 900 kilometers, bearing resemblance in their design to the Russian/Soviet-origin Iskander missiles. Their introduction to the North Korean arsenal is relatively recent, with their unveiling dating back to 2018.
*Photographs used for illustrative purposes.
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