Pyongyang is believed to have sent some 11,000 soldiers to help Putin’s army recapture a swathe of the Kursk region of Russia which Ukrainian forces seized in a surprise attack last summer. The Russian military has been gradually gaining ground in the attempt to force Ukrainian units out of Kursk.

North Korean ballistic missiles have been striking targets in Ukraine with increasing accuracy in recent weeks compared to over the past year — suggesting the Hermit Kingdom is using the battlefield as a testing ground for its new tech.

North Korean missiles used by Russia in attacks on Ukraine since December have become more accurate, Reuters reported on Feb. 6, citing sources familiar with the matter. Analysts believe North Korea is using the battlefield as a testing ground for its missile technology,

The precision of North Korean missiles used by Russia against Ukraine has significantly improved since late last year, according to two senior Ukrainian officials who spoke to Reuters. They reported that while earlier strikes missed their targets by 1 to 3 kilometers,

Experts say Pyongyang’s advancing missile technology raises global security risks and threatens regional stability.