What ballistic missiles Russia may be receiving from DPRK, Iran

Defense Express reported the information.

While the prospect of ballistic missiles being supplied to Russia from North Korea and Iran has been previously discussed, a recent article by The Wall Street Journal raises concerns about Russia making progress in obtaining such missiles. The report suggests that Russia may have already received a first batch from North Korea and is actively negotiating with Iran for the purchase of short-range ballistic missiles.

Concerning Iran, ongoing negotiations between Russia and Iran on the purchase of short-range ballistic missiles have caught the attention of U.S. officials. The Wall Street Journal notes that the U.S. is worried about the potential transfer of Iranian missiles to Russia, and there are estimates that Russia aims to acquire missile systems from Iran. While the delivery of Iranian missiles could occur as early as spring, the deal is not confirmed, and U.S. officials do not believe it has been finalized. Possible missile models include Fateh-110 with a range of 300 km and Zolfaghar with a range of 700 km, both known for increased accuracy.

As for North Korea, recent developments suggest that Russia has received several dozen ballistic missiles from North Korea in the past few weeks. The specific types of missiles are not disclosed, but it was previously reported in the fall of 2023 that Russia could have received short-range ballistic missiles from North Korea, in addition to other munitions.

Possible North Korean missile systems that Russia could have acquired include:

• KN-25 MLRS with a range of up to 380 km, essentially a tactical missile system.
• KN-02 Toksa, a version similar to the Tochka-U (compatibility unknown).
• KN-23 solid-fuel missile (similar to Iskander) with a range of up to 690 km.
• Hwasong-5 with a range of 300 km (a Scud variant).
• Hwasong-6 with a range of 500 km.
• KN-18 with a range of 450 km (a North Korean Scud version).
• KN-24 with a range of 410 km, visually similar to ATACMS.