Ukraine believes it is possible that Russia recently used North Korean ballistic missiles in an attack, specifically on the 2nd in the eastern region of Kharkov, as reported today by the Regional Prosecutor’s Office, which has already analyzed rocket fragments.
The spokesman for the prosecutor’s office, Dmitro Chubenko, who today showed the media remains of the missile that hit the city center, stated that visually it is similar to a Russian Iskander but that there are some technical and quality differences. The official stressed that until now the Russians had not tried to hide the markings of the rockets they fired at Kharkiv, but on this occasion the numbers were erased in certain parts on the outside and inside the missile they were not very clear, according to the agency. Ukrinform.
“Usually, on this type of rockets, made at the time both in the Soviet Union and later in Russia, the inscriptions are very clear, everything is done with great care, in some places they even put the names of the workers of the factory to establish who is responsible, who did exactly what,” he explained.
On the fragments found “the inscriptions, numbers and abbreviations are different,” Chubenko said. Experts have also detected differences in the quality of the missile and its diameter, which is larger than that of a Russian Iskander.
“This missile is a little bigger than the Iskander,” he explained, adding that the wiring inside is simpler and there is no protection against electromagnetic warfare like Russian rockets have. There are two options, the spokesman said, either Russia moved to more negligent missile production or it could be a missile manufactured by another country.
“According to the information that is available on the Internet, according to the photographs of the North Korean parades, according to the nozzles, according to the rear part of this missile, (the rocket found) is very similar” to those manufactured by Pyongyang, Chubenko said.
“And in fact, the North Korean missiles have been manufactured on the basis of the Iskander. That is why we are leaning towards the version that perhaps it is a missile provided by North Korea. But I want to point out that currently there is no direct evidence stating that It was North Korea or some other country,” he stressed.
“For final confirmation there must be absolutely accurate information,” the representative of the Main Intelligence Department of the Ministry of Defense (GUR), Andri Yusov, previously emphasized to Radio NV.
The US stated last Thursday that Russia has used North Korean ballistic missiles in some of its latest attacks against Ukraine and that it is also negotiating with Iran to purchase short-range ballistic missiles.
According to Ukraine’s ambassador to the UN, Sergei Kislitsia, a meeting of the United Nations Security Council has been convened for January 10 to discuss the supply of ballistic missiles from North Korea to Russia.
