North Korean missile unit has begun deploying to western Russia, says Kyiv

Ukraine's intelligence agency reported on Wednesday that a North Korean missile unit has begun deploying to western Russia. According to Andrii Cherniak, a member of Ukraine's Main Directorate of Intelligence, the unit of around 90 North Korean personnel would be stationed in the Voronezh region of Russia. Reuters reported that North Korea had already sent 40 KN-23 and KN-24 missiles, along with related personnel, to Russia.

However, the official mentioned that more details about the deployment, including its scale, will be determined during high-level talks in September. The intelligence official also stated that Russia anticipates at least 120 North Korean ballistic missiles and six launchers to be deployed in the region. This announcement came after reports surfaced that North Korean missiles had been used against Ukraine for the first time in about a year, striking a village in central Ukraine and causing at least five deaths.

However, Reuters could not independently verify Cherniak's claims due to the sensitive nature of the information.