Debris recovered from a missile that landed in the Ukrainian region of Kharkiv on 2 January was North Korean, the Reuters news agency is reporting.
Citing a United Nations sanctions monitor, Reuters said debris recovered was from a Hwasong-11 series ballistic missile – made in North Korea.
Three sanctions monitors travelled to Ukraine earlier this month to inspect the debris – and found no evidence that the missile was made by Russia.
They “could not independently identify from where the missile was launched, nor by whom”.
“Information on the trajectory provided by Ukrainian authorities indicates it was launched within the territory of the Russian Federation,” they wrote in an April 25 report to the UN Security Council’s North Korea sanctions committee.
“Such a location, if the missile was under control of Russian forces, would probably indicate procurement by nationals of the Russian Federation,” they said, adding that this would be a violation of the arms embargo imposed on North Korea in 2006.
International leaders have long accused North Korea of supplying Russia with weapons.
Both Moscow and Pyongyang have denied the accusations, but vowed last year to deepen military relations.
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