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| ▲ This undated file photo, provided by TASS, shows Russia's Pantsir missile system. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) |
N Korea-Russia-military
N. Korea already using Russia's Pantsir-S1 air-defense system: report
SEOUL, July 2 (Yonhap) -- North Korea has already been using the Pantsir-S1 air defense system provided by Russia to defend the North's capital of Pyongyang, a Ukrainian online newspaper reported Wednesday, citing Kyiv's intelligence chief.
Kyrylo Budanov, head of Ukraine's military intelligence (HUR), made the remark in an interview with Hromadske Radio the previous day (local time), according to The Kyiv Independent.
The Pantsir missile system is made up of self-propelled, medium-range surface-to-air missile and anti-aircraft artillery systems.
Budanov said the first Pantsir-S1 installations have already been deployed in Pyongyang and are on combat duty. He added that the Russians are retraining North Korean personnel, who will soon be working autonomously on this technology.
The Kyiv Independent described the latest deployment as "another sign that North Korea is improving its weapons technology and military might through cooperation with Russia."
The intelligence chief also noted that Pyongyang is "currently significantly increasing its military power" through direct cooperation with Moscow.
Under a defense agreement signed in June last year, North Korea has provided arms and troops to Moscow in return for training and sophisticated military technology.
Russia has reportedly provided advanced electronic warfare systems to Pyongyang and helped improve its KN-23 ballistic missiles.
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