KIEV (Sputnik) – On Monday, The New York Times published an article, citing classified assessments by US intelligence agencies and a study by Michael Elleman, a senior fellow for missile defense with the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) think tank, which suggested that Pyongyang may be using a modified RD-250 high-performance liquid-propellant engine (LPE) for its latest missiles, the kind that used to be developed at Ukraine's state-owned Yuzhmash and Russia’s Energomash companies.
"In order to neutralize provocations linked to The New York Times’ publication based on the conclusions of an expert of the International Institute for Strategic Studies … [I order] to create a working group on checking the information presented in the article," the decree said.
Poroshenko appointed Ukrainian National Security and Defense Council Secretary Oleksandr Turchynov as a head of the working group and demanded to present the group’s recommendations within three days.
Yuzhmash as well as the SSAU have denied any involvement in North Korea's space or defense-related missile programs. The aerospace manufacturer also pointed out that it had produced neither missiles nor missile systems since Ukraine became an independent state after the dissolution of the Soviet Union, whereas it only exported, serially-produced engine was designed for use in space and was not suitable for ballistic missiles.
Turchynov also said Monday that Ukraine's defense and aerospace companies did not supply any weapons or military technologies to North Korea.
