North Korea Already Operates Russian Pantsir Air System to Defend Pyongyang: Ukraine's Intelligence Head
Jul 2
1 min read
News Summary
Ukrainian military intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov revealed that Russia has deployed Pantsir S-1 air defense systems in Pyongyang, with some already operational to protect the North Korean capital.
The Pansir S-1 is the air defense system employed by Russia to protect its military-industrial sites, with an estimated cost of about $15 million.
Budanov said that North Korea is significantly increasing its military power through direct cooperation with Russia, benefiting from technology transfers and combat experience gained alongside Russian troops in Ukraine.
Commentary
This intelligence confirms that Kim Jong Un has gone all-in on Russia in pursuit of a security guarantee. The deployment of Russian Pantsir S-1 air defense systems in Pyongyang shows that the regime is preparing for potential airstrikes—just as Iran faced—by fortifying its capital with Russian support.
Against this backdrop, the notion that Kim might seek a summit with Trump during his expected visit to South Korea this October—hoping for a U.S. security guarantee—is deeply misguided.
Kim has already secured what he believes is a more reliable form of protection: a combination of his own nuclear arsenal and Russia’s military backing, paid for by sending thousands of young North Koreans to fight and die on a foreign battlefield.
This military partnership will likely deepen, as Kim has few other options. But the cost may prove far greater than anticipated.
Kim's full dependence on Moscow may buy external security—but it is rapidly eroding his internal legitimacy. In the end, the real threat to Kim’s rule may not come from airstrikes, but from the growing disillusionment of his own people, especially his military.
