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The Russia-Ukraine war has gobbled up artillery shells and heavy munitions at an unprecedented rate, forcing Russia and the West to devise new methods for fast, scalable production and acquisition. Russia appears to be in the process of purchasing North Korean missiles as a part of that effort.
Straight Arrow News contributor Peter Zeihan looks at the exact models and capabilities of the missiles the Russians will be purchasing from North Korea. While he concedes that these missiles are not exactly cutting edge, Zeihan cautions that they are nonetheless intended to be used against heavily populated civilian centers, calling them “a war crime waiting to happen.”
Below is an excerpt from Peter’s Jan. 17 “Zeihan on Geopolitics” newsletter:
We’re back with part two of Russia’s missile-sourcing escapade. Today we’re looking at the specifics of these North Korean missiles and their significance.
The North Korean’s are sending the Russians some of their KN-23 and 25 missiles, which are limited-range (max. 400 miles) and low-accuracy models. This means that each of these missiles is a war crime waiting to happen, but what’s another drop in that bucket? Unfortunately, this has just dumped a new load of gasoline onto the fire that is the Ukraine War.
The Russians will be able to use these missiles in conjunction with satellite guidance to close in that accuracy ring a bit. In the meantime, they’ll be gathering insights on the technological capabilities of the North Korean and Iranian missile systems.
Once the Russians mesh the missile and satellite tech together, the Ukrainians will be facing a much more intimidating Russia than before.
