North Korea Is Learning from the Russian-Ukrainian War — Budanov

Kirill Budanov, head of the Office of the President, stated that North Korea is using Russia’s experience from the war against Ukraine to develop its own weapons. According to him, Pyongyang is receiving some military technology from Russia while simultaneously developing its own strike drones. Budanov believes that the rapid strengthening of the North Korean military could pose additional risks to the Korean Peninsula.

 

North Korea is studying Russia’s experience in the war against Ukraine and using it to develop its own military capabilities. According to him, Pyongyang is not only supplying Russia with weapons and materials but is also sending its own military personnel to participate in the war against Ukraine. At the same time, according to Budanov, the DPRK is using the experience it has gained to improve its own weaponry.

“North Korea is learning from our war and arming itself. The world must recognize this connection while there is still time,” Budanov stated. He added that North Korea is already adopting new types of weapons. Some of them, he said, are of Russian origin.

North Korea Is Developing Attack Drones

Separately, Budanov spoke about drones. According to him, North Korea has already established mass production of single-use strike drones.

This is not the first report on the development of the DPRK’s drone program. In November 2024, the North Korean state news agency KCNA reported on tests of strike drones and an order from Kim Jong-un to begin their mass production. In September 2026, the DPRK also showcased production facilities where large attack drones are manufactured, which outwardly resemble Israel’s Harop loitering munitions.

Ukrainian intelligence had previously reported that the DPRK had begun mass production of small FPV drones and larger medium-range strike drones. According to Vadym Skibitsky, a representative of the Main Intelligence Directorate (GUR), the DPRK is analyzing wartime experience and using it to develop its own production capabilities.

Budanov Fears Escalation in the Region

In Budanov’s view, the DPRK’s active rearmament may not be linked solely to Russian support. He suggests that North Korea may be preparing to potentially deploy its new military capabilities directly within its own region. “And when you see how rapidly the North Korean regime is militarizing, the question naturally arises: why? First and foremost—to be prepared for active combat operations in its own region,” he said.

Budanov also mentioned a recent incident on the demarcation line between North and South Korea. According to him, the situation on the Korean Peninsula is becoming increasingly tense. “The situation is escalating every day. And it’s only a matter of time before a trigger event occurs that could lead to uncontrollable consequences,” the head of the Presidential Office stated. This is Budanov’s assessment. He did not provide any specific evidence in this statement that North Korea is preparing an attack on South Korea.

North Korea is cooperating more closely with Russia

Military cooperation between Moscow and Pyongyang has noticeably intensified in recent years. Russia receives ammunition, missiles, and other weapons from North Korea, and North Korean troops have participated in combat operations on Russia’s side. In return, Pyongyang gains practical experience in modern warfare and, according to Ukrainian assessments, access to Russian technology.

In 2025, Ukrainian intelligence also reported that the DPRK was reorienting part of its production capacity toward the manufacture of drones. Thus, according to Budanov, Russia’s war against Ukraine is affecting not only the hostilities themselves but also the development of other countries’ weaponry. Meanwhile, North Korea continues to expand its own drone production and deepen military cooperation with Russia. Kirill Budanov, head of the Office of the President, made this statement in an interview with Newsforce.