Investigators from the Kyiv Scientific Research Institute of Forensic Expertise examine the wreckage of the KN-23 missiles used by Russia to attack Ukraine. Photo: CNN.
Ukraine is under a new wave of missile attacks in which Russia is using North Korean weapons. According to representatives of the Ukrainian military, a significant number of these missiles are powered by Western components that, despite the sanctions, are being delivered to North Korea. This was reported by the Time Ukraine Israel portal, citing CNN.
According to the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine, Russia has fired about 60 North Korean KN-23 missiles at Ukrainian territory this year, which is about a third of all 194 ballistic missiles used in 2024. These attacks peaked in August-September, when it first became known that North Korea was using KN-23 missiles.
Ukrainian investigators have found evidence that key components used in North Korean missiles are made by at least nine Western manufacturers: CNN.
North Korean weapons with Western components
Yuriy Ignat, a representative of the Ukrainian Air Force, noted that Russia has increased its use of ballistic missiles and drones since the spring, which has led to a reduction in the use of cruise missiles. This is due to increased military support to Russia from North Korea, including the provision of 11,000 troops stationed in Russia near the Ukrainian border.
Based on the analysis of the missile debris by Ukrainian experts, it was found that the key guidance components and electronics used in these missiles were of Western manufacture. According to a report by the Ukrainian Independent Anti-Corruption Commission (NAKO), 9 companies from the US, the Netherlands and the UK manufactured the elements found in North Korean missiles. Some of these components were produced as recently as 2023, indicating that they were delivered to North Korea as soon as possible.
In one of the Ukrainian warehouses where the wreckage of downed weapons, including missiles and drones, is stored, researchers find numerous Western components. Among them are hundreds of microchips, sorted into folders corresponding to the types of weapons: “Shahed, Iskander and KN-23. According to Ukrainian military experts, everything that “controls the missile” is foreign components, while North Korean parts are only corrosion-resistant metal.
Sanctions control: the problem with China and international intermediaries
According to analysts, China is the key channel for the supply of sanctioned Western components to North Korea. Damien Splitters, deputy director of Conflict Armament Research (CAR), said that some components have been traced to Chinese companies, which likely purchased them from Western manufacturers and supplied them to North Korea. This points to a complex supply chain that includes a multi-level system of intermediaries.
Although CAR does not name specific manufacturers to avoid unfounded accusations, the organisation is calling on governments to exercise greater control over distributors who carry products that end up in Russia or North Korea. According to CAR, more than 250 companies are involved in the supply chain for these components, with just five large distributors in the US and Canada responsible for most of the sales of electronics used in North Korean weapons.
At the same time, the United States has tightened export controls following several investigations that revealed insufficient due diligence on the part of Western companies. However, according to Ukrainian representatives, the problem will remain relevant as long as intermediaries and distributors are not required to ensure compliance with the sanctions regime.
Calls for stronger international control
A representative of the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine stressed that a large share of Western components are also supplied directly to Iran and Russia. Among the latest findings of Ukrainian intelligence officers is a Russian Okhotnik drone, which turned out to be assembled from Western electronics. According to experts, the international community should strengthen control over sanctioned goods, as their presence in Russian weapons demonstrates the effectiveness of only partial sanctions.
According to US Senator Richard Blumenthal, Western companies should strengthen end-user inspections and compliance. Ukraine also hopes that the new US administration will be more consistent in its fight against illegal exports.
Ukraine continues to insist that international companies be held accountable for non-compliance with sanctions and expresses concern that their products are used in weapons that destroy the lives of Ukrainians.
