The KN-30 missile is not an unfamiliar entity for Ukraine. According to Oleg Katkov, editor of Defense Express, it represents merely a new designation for a variant of North Korea’s KN-23 missile, which has previously been identified as KN-23. This new index was assigned by Western intelligence agencies only in 2025, while the missile was known by its earlier designation beforehand.
Reports indicate that the Ukrainian military intelligence had not utilized this designation in their reports until recently. Notably, the Russian Federation has been in possession of these North Korean missiles since 2023-2024, enabling them to launch strikes against Ukraine with this weaponry.
Furthermore, the information regarding the total number of missiles has become outdated by several months. All missiles received by Russia from North Korea are essentially variations of the Iskander system. The first KN-23 missile was reportedly manufactured by North Korea back in 2018.
