Russia has begun deploying six launchers for North Korean ballistic missiles in the Voronezh region, according to the Institute for the Study of War, citing data from the Main Intelligence Directorate. From this area, the missiles could potentially strike seven regions of Ukraine, including Kyiv, Kharkiv and Zaporizhzhia. The missiles in question are the KN-23, KN-24 and the upgraded KN-30.
Briefly about the main points
- The Main Intelligence Directorate reported that launch sites for North Korean missiles had been deployed in the Voronezh region.
- The six launchers can fire a total of up to 120 missiles.
- Seven regions of Ukraine are in the potential impact zone.
- Russia has received around 50 missiles of three different types from North Korea.
The Main Intelligence Directorate reported on the supply of missiles and launch capabilities
According to an assessment by the Main Intelligence Directorate, as of July 2026, North Korea had transferred approximately 50 KN-23, KN-24 and KN-30 ballistic missiles to Russia. In a report dated 20 August, the Institute for the Study of War noted that Moscow is creating the conditions to bolster its strike capabilities with these missiles.
According to the Main Intelligence Directorate, Russia has begun deployment of six launchers in the Voronezh Region. They will be able to launch a total of 120 missiles.
The ISW also highlighted Russia’s practice of stockpiling ballistic and cruise missiles over a period of several days, with a view to subsequently deploying them in massive combined attacks. North Korean missiles could complement such strike packages.
Seven Ukrainian regions are in the potential impact zone
From the Voronezh region, North Korean missiles could potentially reach the Sumy, Kharkiv, Chernihiv, Poltava, Kyiv, Dnipropetrovsk and Zaporizhzhia regions. This is an assessment of their capabilities based on their deployment locations, not a report of preparations for a strike on a specific region.
Military expert Anatoliy Khrapchynskyi, as quoted by the ISW, noted that Russian forces do not necessarily deploy all available launchers in every strike package. According to him, Russia has around 160 «Iskander» launchers, each capable of carrying two missiles, but usually fires between 16 and 26 missiles in a single attack.
What is known about the upgraded KN-30 missile
The KN-30, also known as the «Hwasong-11C», is an upgraded version of the KN-23. According to the ISW, it can carry a warhead weighing up to 2.5 tonnes. However, analysts have no evidence that Russian forces have already used this type of missile against Ukraine.
Khrapchynskyi stated that KN-23 missiles regularly miss their targets by hundreds of metres or even kilometres. At the same time, they can carry a warhead weighing up to one tonne — more than the standard 480-kilogram warhead of the Russian «Iskander-M» missile, which, in his assessment, causes larger craters and shock waves.
