Russia recently launched ballistic missiles into Ukraine that it obtained from North Korea, according to the Biden administration.
North Korea provided Russia with several ballistic missiles and ballistic missile launchers, National Security Council coordinator John Kirby said Thursday. Russian forces launched at least one of those missiles on Saturday, and they launched several North Korean ballistic missiles into Ukraine on Tuesday.
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“We expect Russia and North Korea to learn from these launches,” Kirby said. “And we anticipate that Russia will use additional North Korean missiles to target Ukraine’s civilian infrastructure and to kill innocent Ukrainian civilians. These North Korean ballistic missiles are capable ranges of approximately 900 kilometers, that’s about 550 miles. This is a significant and concerning escalation in the DPRK’s support for Russia.”
In return for North Korea’s support, the United States believes that Pyongyang wants military assistance from Russia, which could include fighter aircraft, surface-to-air missiles, armored vehicles, ballistic missile production equipment, and other advanced technologies.
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Kirby also warned that Russia is looking to acquire close-range ballistic missiles from Iran but hasn’t yet, though their negotiations “are actively advancing.” He added, “We assess that Russia intends to purchase missile systems from Iran.”
The U.S. will raise these arms deals at the United Nations Security Council, impose sanctions against relevant parties, and continue to release information to “expose these arms deals,” Kirby added.