Photo: Kharkiv Regional Prosecutor’s Office
Ukraine is facing a wave of Russian ballistic missile attacks, one third of which are North Korean KN-23/24 missiles. According to the Ukrainian military, these missiles are powered by Western electronic components, despite international sanctions. This was reported by CNN on Saturday, 23 November, citing Ukrainian military sources.
Western technology in the hands of the enemy
An investigation by the Independent Anti-Corruption Commission (NAKO) found that key missile components are manufactured by nine companies from the US, UK and the Netherlands. Moreover, some of the chips date back to 2023, indicating rapid delivery to North Korea.
“Everything that ensures the missile’s guidance and flight is Western electronics. The only thing Korean about it is the metal, which rusts quickly,” said Andriy Kulchytskyi, head of the military research laboratory of Kyiv Scientific Research Institute of Forensic Expertise.
Ukrainian military intelligence has found that 70 per cent of the components of these missiles are of American origin, with the rest coming from Germany and Switzerland.
According to Ukraine’s Air Force, Russia has launched about 60 North Korean missiles this year, accounting for a third of all 194 ballistic missiles launched in 2024. The KN-23/24 missiles have been in widespread use since August.
The missile strikes killed at least 28 people and injured 213. “Russia has increased the use of ballistic missiles and kamikaze drones, while reducing the use of cruise missiles,” said Yuriy Ihnat, a spokesman for the Ukrainian Air Force.
How to circumvent sanctions
Weapons tracing experts say that components are supplied to North Korea via China. The British organisation Conflict Armament Research (CAR) has found that Chinese companies are often the final buyers of the components.
“We’ve traced these components through a series of intermediaries to North Korea,” explained Damien Splitters, CAR’s deputy director.
CAR notes that the main problem is intermediaries, not producers. At the same time, imperfect export controls allow sanctions to be circumvented.
Ukrainian officials have criticised the lack of compliance with sanctions by the West. Vladyslav Vlasiuk, the Presidential Commissioner for Sanctions Policy, said: “None of the manufacturers has been held responsible for the supply of these components. If at least one company is brought to justice, it will send a signal to others.”
Ukraine also calls for better regulation of distributors supplying dual-use goods.
