The Pentagon reports that Moscow has launched North Korean missiles towards Ukraine.
Reports have emerged that North Korea is sending vast quantities of ammunition to Russia for potential use in Ukraine. It has been hypothesized that leader Kim Jong Un is currently testing his artillery and missiles towards this end. A Pentagon study corroborates this assumption.
It has additionally been reported by the US Defense Ministry that Russia is deploying North Korean ballistic missiles in Ukraine. The Pentagon's military intelligence agency, the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), has confirmed via publicly accessible images that remnants of North Korean missiles have been found in Ukraine.
The DIA report is centered around the identification of debris discovered in the Ukrainian region of Kharkiv in January as originating from a North Korean short-range ballistic missile. This conclusion was reached by comparing images from North Korean state media showing said debris in Kharkiv with publicly available images.
South Korea accuses North Korea of shipping thousands of containers filled with ammunition to Russia, a breach of United Nations sanctions. The powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un recently scoffed at these claims, suggesting that Pyongyang was supplying weapons to Moscow.
Nevertheless, specialists hold the view that the latest North Korean missile tests might actually be trials for weapons meant for use in Ukraine. North Korean state media, such as KCNA, shared photographs on Friday depicting Kim clad in a brown leather jacket, grinning at generals in uniform, and seemingly overseeing the concurrent launch of what appear to be 18 rockets from a rocket launcher.
The images captured show a 600-millimeter rocket launcher being utilized, which, according to North Korean claims, can also house nuclear warheads. KCNA reported that the rockets "precisely" struck a 365-kilometer-away target on an unidentified island. Kim had previously declared his intentions to ramp up the development of weapons, including tactical nuclear weapons.
Late last year, Kim visited Russia, meeting with Kremlin head Vladimir Putin at a summit. The Kremlin confirmed this month that a visit by President Putin to North Korea was being planned.
North Korea and Russia have been fortifying their relationship over the past few months.
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Venturing further into speculation, some analysts suggest that these North Korean missile tests could be preparatory trials for weapons meant to be used in Ukraine. Vladimir Putin, the Russian leader, has reportedly been planning a visit to North Korea, further strengthening the relationship between the two nations.
Given the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and the deployment of North Korean missiles by Russia, concerns about a potential attack with nuclear weapons have escalated. Russia and North Korea have been bolstering their alliance, with North Korea sending vast quantities of ammunition to Russia for possible use in Ukraine.
In response to these developments, the United States Defense Ministry has confirmed the presence of remnants of North Korean missiles in Ukraine, leading to heightened tensions and international scrutiny.
