We support our Publishers and Content Creators. You can view this story on their website by CLICKING HERE.

South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) warned on Monday that North Korea is preparing to send more troops, drones, and missiles to Russia to support its war against Ukraine. North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un is particularly eager to send more “suicide drones” to his ally, Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The South Korean military cited North Korean state media reports that Kim ordered his factories to begin producing suicide drones on a massive scale for export to Russia. The North Korean dictator personally visited test sites to observe various models of drone bombs in action.

The Russians have made heavy use of Iran’s Shahed-136 attack drone, including Russia’s domestically-produced knockoffs of the Iranian technology. International media investigations recently revealed Russia has been luring young African women to work in its drone factories as they struggle to meet high production quotas.

South Korea’s intelligence estimate said Kim might have become so keenly interested in manufacturing drones because North Korean troops have fared poorly against Ukrainian drone weapons. Kim may hope that producing more drones for Russia will also give his forces more experience with the deadly new battlefield technology.

“A comprehensive assessment of multiple intelligence shows that North Korea is preparing to rotate or increase the deployment of troops, while currently supplying 240 millimeter rocket launchers and 170 mm self-propelled artillery,” the South Korean JCS report said.

Ukrainian defense researcher Andriy Tarasenko said on Sunday that Russian forces have been supplied with North Korea’s M1989 Koksan and Pukguksong-2 medium-range ballistic missiles. Tarasenko posted video to his Telegram account that ostensibly showed trains moving through the Tyumen region of central Russia with North Korean missiles, self-propelled artillery, and other equipment.

The new North Korean missiles supplied to Russia could have a strike range of over 1,200 miles, although their performance in test launches observed by South Korea did not perform quite so well. North Korea previously supplied Russia with its Hwasong-11 short-range ballistic missile, which has a range of about 430 miles.

Ukrainian army officer Andriy Kovalenko told the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) on Sunday that roughly 60 percent of the artillery and mortar shells Russia is using against Ukraine are now supplied by North Korea, and the latest shipments have been factory-fresh ordnance instead of the old shells Pyongyang sent to Russia at first. Kovalenko credited the flow of North Korean munitions with helping Russia to hold its positions on Ukrainian soil.

Another Ukrainian official said North Korean missiles tended to be “imprecise,” but had “impressive range,” so they posed a “threat to our cities.” Ukrainian intelligence reports the Russians have made substantial upgrades to North Korea’s multiple rocket launchers.

Satellite photos showed North Korea is rapidly expanding the plant on its eastern coast that produces Hwasong-11 short-range ballistic missiles. Kim has paid several official visits to the factory to oversee its expansion.

The WSJ quoted analysts who said Russia is paying for North Korean weapons with both mountains of cash – up to $5.5 billion since the beginning of the Ukraine war in February 2022 – plus improvements to North Korea’s archaic air-defense systems. Added to that cash flow is about $572 million per year for the North Korean mercenary soldiers Russia began using in 2024.

The Russian and North Korean governments both officially deny heavy shipments of weapons and ammunition from North Korea to Russia, and the Russians are going to great lengths to conceal battlefield casualties suffered by their North Korean mercenaries, including hasty efforts to sweep slain and injured North Koreans away from the front lines before they can be captured by the Ukrainians.

The South Korean JCS report added that North Korea is heavily reinforcing its border with South Korea, turning its side of the demilitarized zone (DMZ) into a “wasteland” festooned with barriers, electric fences, and barbed wire. One photo released by JCS showed the North Koreans testing an electrified fence with a goat.

“With the backing of Russia, they’ll likely try to stage various strategic provocations next year, such as launching intercontinental ballistic missiles and conducting a nuclear test to enhance its negotiating power with the U.S.,” the South Korean military cautioned.