Russia plans to assist North Korea’s in-country manufacture of Iranian Shahed loitering munitions, which are currently being deployed by Moscow in its ongoing assault on Ukraine.
Ukrainian defense intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov suggested that the development would heighten regional security tension in the Asia-Pacific region, particularly between North and South Korea.
Pyongyang has emerged as a key ally to Russia in its prolonged conflict with Ukraine, with Moscow providing support in exchange for North Korean soldiers and resources.
The Russian government currently has a production capacity of up to 2,000 Shahed drones per month. This is projected to increase to 5,000 monthly.
“[There are] agreements on the beginning of the creation of capabilities to produce UAVs of the Garpiya and Geran [the Russian version of Iranian Shahed-136 drones] types on the territory of North Korea,” Budanov said in an interview with The War Zone.
“They just agreed to start the organization of this production…It’s more about technology transfer. This is the result of the common work of Russian and North Korean specialists.”
The Shahed UAV
The Shahed family of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) remains one of the most persistent and formidable threats confronting Ukrainian forces, even pushing Kyiv and allies to develop similar systems and other technologies to counter the “unpredictable” weapon.
Since its inception, the Shahed has had multiple configurations, some powered by a jet engine and currently available in the Russian military inventory.
One of its variants used by Moscow’s campaign on Ukraine, the Shahed-136, has a speed of up to 220 kilometers (137 miles) per hour and a range of about 2,500 kilometers (1,553 miles).
It has a low radar profile and can neutralize infrastructure and other airborne weapons.
In May, Russia launched a “record” drone assault on Ukraine involving approximately 270 Shaheds. This operation came just days after ceasefire negotiations for the three-year conflict hosted in Istanbul collapsed, with the governments failing to reach an agreement.
