UNITED NATIONS — This year, North Korea has demonstrated its capability to manufacture ballistic missiles and promptly send them to Russia for deployment in the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, according to the head of a research organization tracking the weaponry used in the war.
Jonah Leff informed the U.N. Security Council that his team investigated remnants of four missiles, recovered in Ukraine during July and August. Notably, one of these missiles bore markings indicating it was produced in 2024.
“This represents the first public evidence of missiles that were manufactured in North Korea and subsequently utilized in Ukraine in a matter of months, rather than over many years,” Leff stated.
Earlier, in late June, Leff had provided a briefing to the Security Council, asserting that his organization, Conflict Armament Research, had conclusively proven that earlier missile debris found in Ukraine was traced back to North Korean manufacturing. Established in 2011, this U.K.-based organization focuses on documenting and tracing weaponry used in conflicts, aiming to aid governments in tackling diversion and proliferation issues. It has been active in Ukraine since 2018.
Additionally, Kim Jong Un, North Korea’s leader, had expressed his unwavering support for Russia’s efforts in Ukraine during a meeting with Russia’s defense chief in late November, as reported by state media outlets.
Russian U.N. Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia registered his disapproval concerning Leff’s repeated presence at the Security Council meeting, chaired by U.S. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield, who is currently presiding over the council. He accused Leff of being biased towards NATO and the European Union, raising doubts about the impartiality of his organization’s evaluations. He further criticized Thomas-Greenfield for allegedly turning Security Council sessions into politically charged spectacles.
The U.S. ambassador countered by emphasizing that Russia’s veto of a resolution aimed at maintaining the sanctions monitoring against North Korea underscores the importance of independent organizations like Conflict Armament Research. Thomas-Greenfield asserted that the findings of such reports highlight Russia’s motives to obstruct the renewal of the U.N. experts’ mandate, stating that both Russia and North Korea are involved in unlawful arms exchanges and training activities, in blatant violation of various council resolutions.
Leff defended his organization’s research, emphasizing three critical insights regarding North Korea’s missile endeavors. Firstly, he confirmed the ongoing utilization of newly produced North Korean ballistic missiles in Ukraine. The discovery of a 2024 manufacturing mark on one missile exemplifies the minimal timeframe that exists between the production, transfer, and deployment of these missiles in the conflict.
Furthermore, he pointed out that the presence of missile components recently manufactured elsewhere — some marked as produced in 2023 — signifies North Korea’s robust acquisition network for its missile program, operating despite the U.N. sanctions that restrict material transfers for military purposes.
In response to these claims, North Korea’s U.N. Ambassador Kim Song maintained that his country’s alliance with Russia contributes positively to global peace and security, asserting that it should not be subjected to criticism. He accused the United States and its allies of provoking discord among nations through military interventions across the globe, and through their significant financial support to Ukraine, including for long-range weaponry.
