North Korean missile unit deploys to Russia

Ukraine's Main Directorate of Intelligence reported that a North Korean missile unit of about 90 personnel has begun deploying to western Russia, likely to be based in the Voronezh region within Russia's 112th Missile Brigade. The unit could be equipped with 120 ballistic missiles and six launchers for strikes against Ukraine. This follows North Korea's recent delivery of 40 Hwasong-11A and Hwasong-11B missiles and personnel, with final deployment details to be set at upcoming high-level talks. Russia has fired scores of North Korean ballistic missiles at Ukraine since late 2023, and last week used two for the first time since August 2025. The deployment expands military cooperation between North Korea and Russia, which signed a mutual defense pact in 2024. North Korea has also supplied millions of artillery shells and sent 14,000 troops to Russia's Kursk region. Ukraine faces a critical shortage of high-end air defenses, and analysts warn that increased ballistic missile use will strain its defense capabilities, especially during winter attacks on the power grid. The claims could not be independently verified, and Russia and North Korea did not respond to requests for comment.