russia is negotiating with North Korea over a new package of military aid and is requesting KN-30 ballistic missiles. According to Ukraine's Defense Intelligence, these missiles are approximately three times more powerful than the KN-23/24 missiles that russia is already using against Ukraine.
A representative of the Defense Intelligence Directorate of Ukraine Andrii Chernyak, stated this in comments to Liga.net.
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He states that no transfers of KN-30 missiles to russia have been recorded so far. At the same time, Moscow is trying to reach an agreement with Pyongyang on new arms deliveries ahead of the fall and winter season.
According to preliminary estimates by the Defense Intelligence of Ukraine, russia is requesting 120 ballistic missiles and six launchers from North Korea. There is also discussion of potentially deploying a missile unit of up to 90 personnel, as well as a contingent of between 30,000 and 50,000 North Korean troops. It is currently unknown where they might be deployed.
Chernyak noted that russia has already received 40 KN-23/24 missiles that Moscow requested from Pyongyang. russians used two of them during one of the recent attacks on Ukraine.
"Missile terror is part of the Kremlin's strategy to spread fear, fuel the conflict, and inflict further destruction across Ukraine. In other words, the aggressor is using this method to put pressure on Ukrainian society and is trying to undermine our resilience," Chernyak said.
Ukraine's Defense Intelligence expects that the final scope of North Korea's future military aid to russia may be determined during talks between Putin and Kim Jong-un in September.
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