Ukraine has experienced a significant increase in Russian ballistic missile attacks, with approximately one-third of them utilizing North Korean weapons that rely on Western circuitry, obtained despite sanctions, as per Ukrainian military officials. This year alone, Russia has launched around 60 North Korean KN-23 missiles at Ukraine, accounting for nearly 33% of the 194 ballistic missiles fired in 2024. The months of August and September witnessed a surge in ballistic missile attacks, coinciding with Ukraine's public disclosure of the use of the KN-23 missiles.
Ukrainian officials have revealed that the North Korean missiles are equipped with crucial components produced by nine Western manufacturers, including companies from the United States, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom. Fragments from the wreckage of these missiles have been examined, indicating the extensive presence of US- and European-made circuitry in their guidance systems.
