Russian forces resume attacks with low‑grade North Korean missiles
After a break of several months, the Russians are once again bombarding Ukrainian cities with KN-23 ballistic missiles. The Ukrainians are unsure why the invaders stopped using them for a long time. However, they suggest it may be related to the low quality of this North Korean weapon.
5:59 PM EDT, August 12, 2024
On Sunday, August 11, the Ukrainian Air Force confirmed that within a week, the Russians had used four ballistic missiles produced by North Korea. All of them, as estimated based on the debris analysis, are KN-23 ballistic missiles (also known as Hwasong-11Ga).
KN-23 ballistic missiles in service of the Russians
Due to the specifications declared by its designers, this weapon is often compared to Russian Iskanders. Theoretically, it provides an even slightly greater range, reaching 400 miles. These are solid-fuel ballistic missiles. Each of them measures approximately 30 feet in length and weighs about 7,500 pounds.
American intelligence reported some time ago that Russia could have received an unspecified number of North Korean ballistic missiles as early as October 2023. The last documented case of their use before the several-month break occurred on February 27. The Russians resumed attacks using KN-23 ballistic missiles on July 31 of this year and continued at the beginning of August.
Low quality of North Korean missiles
On the pages of the Ukrainian portal Defense Express, two potential reasons for the Russians' five-month break in using KN-23 ballistic missiles were mentioned. One could have been the desire to prepare a new tactic, such as using this weapon in specific, generally massed attacks on essential targets like Kyiv. The other reason could be the low quality of North Korean missiles and the necessity for their inspection and refinement.
Previously, Ukrainian analysts estimated that even half of the North Korean missiles did not reach their targets. Some have very large deviations, and others fail in the air. The command of the Ukrainian Air Force also believes that the ally is supplying Russia with defective weapons.
As for the Russian attacks with North Korean missiles, the following can be said: "KN-23 ballistic missiles, although they rarely reach the desired targets, pose a serious threat to the population," the command of the Ukrainian Air Force said in a statement.
