Russia Deploys North Korean Missiles Within Reach of 7 Ukrainian Regions

Russia is set to enhance its use of North Korean ballistic missiles, with six launchers positioned in Voronezh Oblast capable of reaching seven Ukrainian regions, according to the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) on August 21. The Ukrainian military's Main Intelligence Directorate (HUR) confirmed on August 20 that North Korea had transferred approximately 50 KN-23, KN-24, and KN-30 ballistic missiles to Russia by July 2026, as per ISW.

The Russian launchers in Voronezh could reportedly target Sumy, Kharkiv, Chernihiv, Poltava, Kyiv, Dnipropetrovsk, and Zaporizhzhia oblasts, as reported by ISW. The KN-30, also known as the Hwasong-11C, is a more advanced variant of the KN-23, capable of carrying a warhead weighing up to 2,500 kilograms. ISW has not identified any evidence of Russian forces employing the KN-30 against Ukraine.

Ukraine's military intelligence suggested that Russia has initiated the deployment of six launchers for North Korean missiles in Voronezh Oblast, with the potential to fire up to 120 missiles collectively. ISW noted that Russia may not utilize every available launcher in a single strike package. Russian forces typically launch between 16 to 26 missiles per strike, while North Korean missiles differ from Russia's Iskander-M missiles in terms of accuracy and warhead size.

While Iskander-M missiles can strike within a radius of 5 to 20 meters of their target, North Korean KN-23 missiles have reportedly deviated by hundreds of meters or even kilometers. However, North Korean missiles can carry significantly heavier warheads, with the KN-23-series capable of carrying warheads weighing up to one ton, compared to the 480-kilogram warhead on Russia's Iskander-M missile.

The reported deployment of North Korean missiles in Voronezh Oblast suggests that Russia continues to explore ways to integrate North Korean missiles into its assaults on Ukraine.