North Korean ballistic missiles based on Russia’s Iskander, Ukraine finds

Lab tests on fragments from a missile that fell in Kharkiv in January 2024 confirmed the parts match technical drawings published by North Korean scientific outlets, the ministry said.

The Defense Ministry said the North Korean missiles are an improved version of early prototypes of Russia’s Iskander missiles, as opposed to direct, licensed copies.

Key findings:

• KN-23 geometry is unique: the rear diameter measures about 110 centimeters (43 inches), tapering to about 90 centimeters (35 inches) toward the front. The ministry said the 110-centimeter rear diameter is not seen in any country other than North Korea.
• KN-24 has a diameter of roughly 100 centimeters (39 inches), a size that does appear elsewhere.
• Fragments from Kharkiv matched photos taken at North Korean missile factories on seven measured parameters, including the number of bolt holes on nozzle mounts and the presence of specific niches to house satellite navigation receivers.
• The missiles use lower-energy propellant. Their engines are about 1.5 times larger and longer than Russian equivalents.
• Soldering quality and techniques are outdated, the ministry said, lagging roughly 50 years behind modern standards.
• Some components are commercial or civilian items that North Korea likely acquired to evade sanctions.
• To protect the missile during atmospheric flight, designers used a heat-shield coating and a nose cone made of graphite materials, a relatively cheap solution consistent with limited access to more advanced thermal-protection materials.

"Despite the use of outdated technologies, these missiles — like all ballistic weapons — are extremely difficult for air defenses to counter and pose a deadly threat to Ukrainians," the Defense Ministry said.