DPRK-Russia ballistic missile transfers: what Pyongyang gets in return?

This was stated by Ivan Stupak, a military expert and employee of the Security Service of Ukraine in 2004-2015, on the Espreso TV channel.

"The DPRK did not just hand over ballistic missiles to Russia. They could have exchanged them for money, gold, food, technology or weapons, which are of great value to North Korea," he said.

According to him, it is likely that the Russian Federation helped the DPRK with aircraft, in particular SU-35.

"They may have contracted a certain amount of aircraft that is important for the DPRK. After all, they have old Soviet aircraft in service. For example, SU-35s are very interesting for them now. Probably, in the near future, the DPRK will receive them, just like Iran did," he said.

Supply of ballistic missiles to Russia from North Korea

On January 4, the United States announced that it had information that North Korea had transferred a batch of ballistic missiles and launchers to Russia, which had already been used to strike Ukraine.

According to a White House spokesman, on December 30, 2023, Russian forces launched at least one North Korean ballistic missile at Ukraine.

Later, the United States reiterated that it had evidence that Russian terrorists continue to strike Ukraine with ballistic missiles produced in the DPRK.

The White House emphasizes that Russia used missiles from the DPRK to strike Kyiv, Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, and other cities of Ukraine. This is at least the period from December 30 to January 6.

On January 10, the foreign ministers of 47 countries condemned North Korea's supply of ballistic missiles to Russia and Russia's use of them against Ukraine.