The Russia-Ukraine war continues to escalate, with both sides constantly using missiles to strike. Recently, it was reported that the Ukrainian side found the wreckage of some Russian missiles, which turned out to be ballistic missiles produced by North Korea. The news sparked great concern in the West, with some speculating whether Russia had already bought a large number of missiles from North Korea, or even technology supplied by China. What is the truth behind this incident, let's take a look.
First, we want to clear up the misconception that North Korea's missile technology comes from China. Some people believe that in order to support North Korea, China has provided it with advanced missile technology, or even directly advanced missiles. This claim is completely unfounded, and China has never supplied any missile technology to North Korea, let alone the missiles themselves. China's medium and short-range missile technology has reached the world's leading level and has a clear advantage over Russia. North Korea's missile technology is developed independently or by obtaining some parts from the international market for assembly and improvement. China has always maintained strict sanctions on North Korea's missile program and will never do anything that violates international law.
Secondly, we have to analyze why Russia uses North Korean missiles. It is reported that the wreckage of the missile found by the Ukrainian side is very different from the "Iskander" missile of Russia's own production, and is more like the North Korean KN 23 missile, which is a short-range ballistic missile similar to the Russian "Iskander", with a range of about 500 kilometers and a fairly high accuracy. Some experts believe that Russia may have purchased a batch of KN-23 missiles from North Korea, or even a more long-range KN 24 missile, to be used against targets in Ukraine. Russia may be doing this for two reasons. One is that Russia's missile stocks are already insufficient to meet the needs of the war, while North Korea's missiles are relatively low, which can save costs. The second is that Russia believes that the DPRK's missile performance is better than its own, especially in terms of accuracy, which can improve the strike effect.
Again, we want to debunk some of the outside world's misleading opinions, that is, whether North Korea's missiles are under the influence of China. Some people deliberately link China and North Korea's missiles in an attempt to create the illusion that China is secretly supporting Russia, to discredit China and sow discord between China and the West. This practice is despicable and has no factual basis. China has always advocated a peaceful settlement of the Russia-Ukraine dispute, opposes the use of force by either side, and will not provide military assistance to any party for its own interests. The relationship between China and North Korea is also not what some people think, and China has been harsh about North Korea's nuclear missile program, demanding that North Korea abide by United Nations resolutions, stop conducting nuclear and missile tests, and return to the table of the six-party talks to achieve denuclearization and peace on the peninsula through dialogue.
Finally, we have to compare whether North Korea's missiles really surpassed Russia's. If the missiles found in Ukraine are indeed North Korea's KN 23, this does not indicate that Russia's missile stocks have been depleted, or that production capacity is already insufficient. Russia still has a large number of missiles, including the Iskander and the more advanced Zircon, among others. Russia's missile technology is not without merit, and its accuracy and power should not be underestimated. North Korea's missiles, although they have made breakthroughs in some aspects, are not invulnerable, and their reliability and safety have yet to be verified. Russia's use of North Korean missiles may only be a strategic option for striking some secondary targets in order to save its own missile resources and deplete Ukraine's defense capability in the long term.
In short, behind this incident, we need to keep a clear head and not be confused by some nonsense. Russia may use North Korean missiles for performance and economic reasons, not because of Chinese technical support. Although North Korea's missile technology has improved, it is not invincible, and there are still many uncertain factors. This incident may bring more variables to the international situation, so we must keep an eye on the truth and not be misled by some false statements.