Russia aids North Korea in setting up attack drone manufacturing - Center for Countering Disinformation

Andriy Kovalenko, head of the Center for Countering Disinformation, reported this.

He noted that the information about the production of Shahed and Geran type drones being established in North Korea with Russia’s assistance is also confirmed by Ukraine's Defense intelligence.

According to Kovalenko, Russian instructors are also working in Pyongyang, in the area of Kalma airfield in the city of Wonsan, training North Korean drone pilots.

“Specifically, both for attack FPV drones and other attack UAVs,” added the head of the Center for Countering Disinformation.

North Korea’s involvement in Russian-Ukrainian war: background

North Korea’s support for the Russian military is primarily manifested in the supply of weapons, including artillery shells, missiles, and, according to some reports, even short-range ballistic missiles. This became especially noticeable from the second half of 2023, when Western intelligence and satellite images began recording active cargo movements between North Korea and Russia through the Rajin port and Primorsky Krai.

In Ukraine, fragments of missiles believed by experts to be modified North Korean ballistic systems have been recorded. There were also reports of the use of 122mm and 152mm shells of North Korean manufacture. Although these often have lower quality, Russia actively uses them due to shortages of its own ammunition. North Korea has effectively become one of the main sources of ammunition supply for Russia, which seriously complicates Ukraine’s position, especially amid unstable Western aid deliveries.

On January 11, 2025, it became known that the Ukrainian Defense Forces captured two North Korean soldiers who were wounded during fighting in the Kursk region of Russia. Then, on January 14, South Korea stated that it is ready to take in the North Korean soldiers captured by the Ukrainian Defense Forces if the North Korean authorities request it.

On June 30, North Korea’s state television released photos for the first time showing soldiers who fought alongside Russia against Ukraine.

At the same time, as of July 1, Ukraine's Defense Intelligence does not record any direct involvement of North Korean soldiers in the war against Ukraine on the side of the Russian army.