Russia will assist North Korea in establishing the production of Shahed-type drones on its territory.

Source: Kyrylo Budanov, Head of Defence Intelligence of Ukraine, in an interview with The War Zone, a US military technology, strategy, and foreign policy platform

Quote: "There are agreements on the beginning of the creation of capabilities to produce UAVs of the Garpiya and Geran [the Russian version of Iranian Shahed-136 drones] types on the territory of North Korea."

Details: Budanov believes this "will for sure bring changes in the military balance in the region between North Korea and South Korea". However, he clarified that currently, Russia and North Korea have merely agreed to initiate preparations for this production.

Background: 

• Russia received its first batch of Shahed drones from Iran in 2022. By summer 2023, it began manufacturing the drones domestically. The production facility was established 1,200 kilometres from the front line, in the Alabuga Special Economic Zone in the city of Yelabuga.
• Defence Intelligence of Ukraine estimates that as of May 2025, Russia had reached a daily production rate of approximately 170 Shahed loitering munitions and decoy drones, with plans to increase output to 190 per day by the end of the year.

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