The Telegraph: Putin Is Once Again Forced To Ask Kim Jong-un For Help
- 12.08.2026, 23:18
Ukrainian strikes are depleting Russia's military and economic resources.
This summer, Russian dictator Vladimir Putin found a compliant accomplice for the bombing of Ukrainian cities: the occupiers began using North Korean KN-23 and KN-24 munitions for their missile strikes. These missiles, in particular, were used to strike Zaporizhzhia on the night of August 11, as reported by The Telegraph.
“Moscow has found an ally to support its military efforts and economy, which have been devastated by Kyiv’s long-range strikes. And for Pyongyang, these military operations will mark its most significant involvement in any conflict since the middle of the last century,” the article states.
North Korea provided similar “assistance” to Russia a year ago. As was the case then, this time the regime of Kim Jong-un has apparently deployed soldiers who may take part in the attack on Ukraine. At least one missile unit has been sent to Voronezh. It may be equipped with 6 launchers and 120 missiles.
The development of military cooperation between Russia and North Korea “attests to an increasingly close alignment of interests between the regimes.” It is noted that for Putin, the supply of manpower and ammunition from Pyongyang represents “a long-awaited relief amid the intense strain on his military machine in the fifth year of hostilities.”
“The provision of 50,000 military personnel could help the Russian president maintain pressure on Kyiv while avoiding a politically costly mobilization in his own country, and an increase in missile stockpiles would allow him to continue bombing Ukrainian cities,” the authors added.
What This Means for Kim’s Regime
First and foremost, greater independence from China. In addition, its military gains access to a wealth of valuable lessons in modern warfare. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has already warned allies that the DPRK could use this experience against South Korea, Japan, the Philippines, or other countries in the region. The DPRK also gains access to Russian technology to improve its anti-aircraft missiles, air defense systems, and advanced electronic warfare capabilities. At the same time, since Kim’s regime is already isolated from the international community, close cooperation with Putin does not pose the same risks for it as it might, for example, for Belarus.
Missiles from North Korea—Latest News
As a reminder, the DPRK has transferred 40 KN-23 and KN-24 ballistic missiles to Russia. And if deliveries from the DPRK continue to increase, Moscow will be able to launch large-scale strikes for much longer than its domestic production capacity would otherwise allow.
On its own, Russia cannot produce enough ballistic missiles to launch a salvo of up to 100 units. However, North Korean missiles are not high-precision and can deviate from their target by up to 200 meters. At the same time, the North Korean missiles that Russia launched at Ukraine last year deviated from their targets by as much as one kilometer. After that, there was a pause in the use of these weapons. Experts speculate that the missiles have been modernized.
As noted by the ISW, Russia’s use of North Korean missiles will provide North Korea with an opportunity to conduct field tests and receive feedback to improve its missiles.