Kim’s missile used by Putin blasts 26ft deep crater in Ukrainian forest

People stand around a crater crated by a Russian missile strike, amid Russia’s ongoing assault on Ukraine (Picture: Reuters)

A giant crater in a Ukrainian forest was caused by a misfiring North Korean missile, according to experts.‌

Detailed images show how the 32ft wide hole, 26ft deep, was caused by a Russian use of the missile in the Bucha district of Kyiv region.

Trees in a radius more than 130ft were completely destroyed in a scorched earth blast wave.

The ballistic missile is reported by Defence Express in Ukraine to be Kim Jong-Un’s version of the Russian Iskander, known as the KN-23.

The strike is believed to have come from a North Korean N23 missile supplied to Russia (Picture: Reuters)

Reports indicate that the missile detonated when Ukrainian air defenses intercepted it over the Kyiv region after it was launched towards Ukraine on Thursday morning.

A journalist from Ukraine Todaylater  visited the crater site, where the twisted remnants of the missile were documented and observed.

European researchers say that KN-23 missile has enough space for a 1,500kg warhead, compared to 800kg for Russian Iskander missiles.

However, the quantity of explosives in the missile is not known.

The KN-23 has a maximum range of 425 miles.

Russia is thought to have turned to North Korea for supplies after running low on ammo (Picture: REUTERS)

The crater is seen as evidence that Russia is now actively using its stocks of North Korean missiles.

Ukrainian air force spokesman Yuriy Ignat acknowledged that the Russians may have used a North Korean KN-23 missile.

The missile attack comes a day after the Ukrainian military announced that it had sunk yet another Russian naval warship ship in the Black Sea using sophisticated naval drones, marking yet another loss for Putin’s Black Sea Fleet.

Ukrainian sources have continually asserted that Russia has turned to North Korea for ammo and assistance due to dwindling supplies and a lack of allies in the global market.

According to intelligence sources cited by the New York Times, Russia has recently helped North Korea access a number of frozen funds and has promised to help connect the renegade nation to a number of global financial institutions it has been otherwise barred from in exchange for military assistance.

The West has imposed a number of long-running sanctions on North Korea for its illegal nuclear and missile tests, making it difficult for the country to engage in international trade or access financing.

A Ukrainian military spokesperson previously said that North Korea has supplied Russia with around one million rounds of ammunition, mainly 122 mm and 152 mm artillery shells- claims which were seemingly confirmed by the White House.

Kim Jong Un has supplied Putin with thousands weapons and ammunition in recent months (Picture: Reuters)

In a strongly worded statement, the US’ National Security Council (NSC) spokesman John Kirby said: ‘Information indicates that the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea recently provided Russia with ballistic missile launchers and several ballistic missiles.’

In November, South Korean officials stated that they believed North Korea may have sold Russia a number of Short-Range Ballistic Missiles as part of a larger arms deal that also included guns, ammunition for artillery and mortars, and anti-aircraft and anti-tank missiles.

The South Korean military estimated that over 2,000 containers with armaments and military hardware had been transported from Rajin, a port in northeastern North Korea, to Vladivostok in Russia.

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