American parts found in North Korean missiles used by Russia to attack Ukraine — CNN.

According to CNN, which has been confirmed by Ukrainian military officials, since the beginning of 2024, Russia has conducted 194 launches of ballistic missiles against Ukraine. Approximately one-third of these are North Korean KN-23 missiles.

Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov reported that this year Russian troops have launched about 60 North Korean KN-23 missiles. Yuriy Ignat, acting head of the communications department of the Air Force Command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, noted that since spring, there has been an increase in Russia's use of ballistic missiles and drones, while the use of cruise missiles has decreased.

Experts from Ukraine have discovered that the guidance systems of the North Korean missiles use components manufactured in the United States and European countries. According to the Ukrainian Independent Anti-Corruption Commission, key elements are produced by nine Western companies from the United States, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom.

Andriy Kulchytsky, head of the Military Research Laboratory of the Kyiv Scientific Research Institute of Forensic Examinations, emphasized that all the electronics in the missiles are of foreign origin, while only the metal casing, which corrodes quickly, is North Korean.

According to research by the British organization Conflict Armament Research (CAR), in the first North Korean missiles launched against Ukraine, 75% of the components were of American production. The missiles contained parts from over 250 companies, with most of the electronics supplied by five major distributors from the United States and Canada.

Experts suggest that components reach North Korea through China, but there is currently no concrete evidence for this. The Ukrainian side hopes for increased control over illegal trade in components at the international level.

It has also been established how much and what kind of weapons North Korea has sent to Russia for the war in Ukraine.