DIA says North Korean missile debris found in Ukraine

The U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency has concluded that Russia has used North Korean–produced ballistic missiles in its war against Ukraine, citing analysis of missile debris recovered after strikes across the country, including a Jan. 2, 2024 attack in Kharkiv.

In an unclassified report, the agency says open-source imagery shows the wreckage from the Kharkiv strike matches components of a North Korean short-range ballistic missile. Analysts compared publicly available photos of debris found in Ukraine with images of known North Korean missile systems and assessed that the remnants are consistent with a North Korean ballistic missile.

The assessment underscores what the agency describes as a deepening military relationship between Pyongyang and Moscow. U.S. and allied officials have for months warned that North Korea has been supplying munitions to Russia, activity that would violate U.N. Security Council resolutions prohibiting North Korean arms exports.

The report’s release is part of the Defense Intelligence Agency’s broader effort to make elements of its work accessible to the public and to provide context on defense and national security issues, the agency said.

Neither Russia nor North Korea has publicly detailed the scope of any missile transfers, and the Kremlin has not acknowledged using North Korean ballistic missiles in Ukraine. Kyiv has repeatedly urged partners to accelerate deliveries of air defenses and interceptors as Russia continues long-range strikes on population centers and infrastructure.

The DIA report is available on the agency’s website: https://www.dia.mil/Portals/110/Documents/News/Military_Power_Publications/DPRK_Russia_NK_Enabling_Russian_Missile_Strikes_Against_Ukraine.pdf