Conflict Armament Research (CAR), a UK-based investigative organisation, has examined 290 components of a ballistic missile that North Korea transferred to Russia to strike Ukraine and discovered that hundreds of them were manufactured by European and American companies.

According to CNN, CAR directly examined 290 components from the remains of a North Korean ballistic missile discovered in the city of Kharkiv in January. 75% of these components were developed and sold by companies based in the United States.

Another 16% of the missile’s components were associated with European companies, and 9% with Asian companies. The majority of these components concerned the missile's navigation system.

The data from the UK research group, according to CNN, is "first public identification of North Korea’s reliance on foreign technology for its missile program."

According to the CAR report, the components could be linked to 26 companies with headquarters in the United States, China, Germany, Japan, the Netherlands, Singapore, Switzerland, and Taiwan. There is no evidence of direct deliveries; instead, the DPRK most likely purchased Western components through intermediaries, evading sanctions.

The report also states that the detected western components were manufactured between 2021 and 2023. This allowed CAR analysts to conclude that the North Korean missile launched by Russia into Ukraine in January "could not have been assembled before March 2023". 

In addition to missiles, North Korea has supplied Russia with hundreds of thousands of artillery rounds. Thanks to this assistance, as well as Moscow's ability to obtain parts from third countries, Russia has been able to ramp up munitions production, far exceeding the volumes received by Ukraine from its allies.

According to media reports, sanctions against the DPRK are expected to be included in the European Union's 13th sanctions package.