Ukraine has been hit by a surge in Russian ballistic missile attacks, about a third of which used North Korean weapons that can only fly because they run on Western circuitry, obtained despite sanctions,

North Korea’s decision to send troops to support Russia in the Ukraine war is rooted in pragmatic and geopolitical factors. Pyongyang seeks to secure much-needed oil and gas from Moscow, circumventing international sanctions.

Russia reportedly provided North Korea with oil, anti-air missiles and economic help in exchange for troops to support Moscow's war on Ukraine.