North Korea to start producing combat drones. The drones will be developed jointly with Russia in exchange for North Korean troops being sent to war against Ukraine. The two countries have signed an agreement under which North Korea will receive technical assistance from Russia to develop several types of drone for mass production.

NHK has learned that North Korea is expected to start producing drones this year that will be co-developed with Russia.

Though North Korean ballistic missiles account for only a small portion of Russia's missile strikes they carry a large warhead of up to one tonne and have a range of up to 800 km, the military source said. The Iskander-M, an equivalent Russian missile, carries a smaller payload and has a shorter range of 500 km.