Russia Has Built Destroyers For North Korea That Cannot Sail
- 26.06.2025, 10:27
They move with the help of tugs.
Military cooperation between Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, who is supplying him with ammunition to shell Ukraine, is rapidly expanding. Russia apparently helped North Korea design and quickly build two destroyers that were launched this spring. True, while they can fire, it is not certain that they are capable of independent navigation.
In May, international attention was drawn to the failed launch of a Choe Hyon-class destroyer that capsized in front of Kim, who was present at the ceremony (the ship was raised in early June). And in April, the first such destroyer was successfully launched. These are North Korea's most modern warships, with a wide range of functions and weapons, including missiles. They were built in just a year, and it was impossible to do without outside help, says The Wall Street Journal in a video report.
Some design elements of the new destroyers clearly indicate a significant degree of Russian involvement in their development, explained Mike Plunkett, a senior maritime expert at the military analysis firm Janes. This is evident, for example, when comparing the Korean ships to the Project 11356 destroyers, also known as the Admiral Grigorovich-class frigates. They have the same stern and bow. "April" destroyer also gives away the cheekbone (the line of intersection of the board with the hull) - it is exactly the same in Russian and Korean ships, Plunkett points out.
Some changes also indicate the participation of Russian engineers, because without their help Koreans could not have lengthened their ship (it is 20 meters longer) to "stuff" it with more weapons, the expert says. In addition, footage of the ship distributed by Korean television shows that it is equipped with Pantsir-M, a Russian anti-aircraft missile-artillery system with short-range missiles. This is the first time the Pantsir-M has appeared on a non-Russian ship.
Kim visited the Russian navy base in Vladivostok in 2023. And just 1.5 years later, the first North Korean destroyer was ceremonially launched. Pyongyang said it was built in about 400 days (about 13 months). That's faster than other major military powers build similar ships. China usually takes 18 months, the U.S. about two years, and Russia can take up to 11 years.
The record-breaking construction timeline has experts questioning it. Plunkett suggests that the Korean destroyers may not yet be equipped with engines. This is indicated, in particular, by the fact that all the vents through which air must enter the engine room to cool the engines and other equipment are sealed with metal plates.
In addition, the destroyers in public videos move only with the help of tugs (although they already demonstrate missile launches). Finally, the "April" ship has a very high landing. Of course, it's not loaded with missiles, shells, and other necessary supplies, but even with that in mind, the water is well below the designated waterline, Plunkett points out.