Budanov made an alarming statement about North Korea: “It’s only a matter of time”

North Korea is using Russia’s experience of the war against Ukraine as a tool to develop its own army. Pyongyang is upgrading its weaponry, mastering new military technologies and, at the same time, deepening its cooperation with Moscow, said Kirill Budanov, head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, in an interview with NewsForce.

According to Budanov, the DPRK’s involvement in Russia’s war against Ukraine is not limited to supplying weapons and ammunition. North Korea is also sending military personnel to Russia and gaining the opportunity to study modern combat experience first-hand.

“North Korea is learning from our war and arming itself. The world must recognise this link whilst there is still time,” said the head of the Presidential Office.

He added that Pyongyang is adapting its own weaponry in light of combat experience in Ukraine and is adopting new models, including those based on Russian technology.

The DPRK is focusing on attack drones

One of the most notable areas of development is unmanned technology. Budanov stated that North Korea has already established mass production of single-use strike drones. This development is consistent with expert assessments, which had previously noted that Pyongyang is studying the use of drones in the Russia-Ukraine war and expanding its own capabilities for the production of attack UAVs.

Budanov believes that the accelerated militarisation of the DPRK poses additional risks to the Korean Peninsula.

“This certainly does not contribute to stability in the Korean region,” he remarked, adding that the build-up of military capabilities may be linked to preparations for active hostilities in the region.

“It is only a matter of time”

Separately, the head of the Presidential Administration mentioned the situation on the demarcation line between North and South Korea. In his view, tensions there are gradually rising, and the emergence of a specific trigger could lead to consequences that would be difficult to control.

As experts point out, Pyongyang’s military activity does indeed remain high. In September, North Korea reported testing a new missile system, which Kim Jong-un described as a significant boost to the country’s military capabilities. The South Korean military confirmed the launch of two short-range ballistic missiles.

At the same time, the DPRK’s cooperation with Russia is intensifying. According to an international monitoring group, by the end of 2025 there were between 15,000 and 30,000 North Korean workers in Russia, including at enterprises involved in defence manufacturing and the production of drones.