ISW has assessed that Russia has increased the number of ballistic missiles in its long-range strike packages to capitalize on Ukraine’s shortage of high-end interceptors capable of countering ballistic missiles. This could increase the importance of North Korean military aid to Russia if Russia seeks to sustain a higher rate of ballistic missile attacks against Ukraine.
An anonymous military source told Reuters on July 30 that North Korean missiles had greater ranges and larger warheads than Russia’s Iskander SRBM, but were inferior in accuracy.
North Korea will likely benefit from increased use of its SRBMs in Russia’s long-range strike campaign. ISW-CDOT previously reported that North Korean missiles have received substantial improvements in accuracy and overall combat performance during the war in Ukraine.Institute for the Study of War (@TheStudyofWar)NEW: The Ukrainian Air Force reported that Russia launched an unspecified number of North Korean ballistic missiles between July 29 and 30. Russia is likely using these missiles to exploit Ukraine’s lack of anti-ballistic missile interceptors. North Korea will likely benefit from battlefield use of its systems as it seeks to improve the performance of its military equipment. (1/2)
Other Key Takeaways:
The Workers’ Party of Korea commemorated the 73rd anniversary of the Korean War Armistice Agreement on July 27, taking the opportunity to celebrate the history of North Korea-PRC relations. The 2026 celebration was scaled down compared to the last iteration in 2023 and largely omitted any mention of the United States or South Korea.
The South Korean Ministry of National Defense announced on July 29 that it will introduce legislation to accelerate the development of an indigenous nuclear-powered attack submarine (SSN). The bill will reiterate that South Korea does not seek to develop or possess nuclear weapons, likely to mitigate concerns by US lawmakers and comply with international agreements.— https://x.com/TheStudyofWar/status/2084742644417130977