Russian forces deploy North Korean artillery in Ukraine conflict
Photos have appeared on social media confirming that the Russian army fighting in Ukraine is using North Korean M1989 Koksan self-propelled howitzers. Although some experts believe this is a clear signal to the world showcasing the declining state of Russian artillery, for Ukrainians, it may pose additional challenges.
At the end of 2024, photos started circulating showing transports of this type of North Korean self-propelled howitzers in Russia. This was seen as another form of support being provided to Moscow by Pyongyang. After a few weeks, the equipment appeared on the front lines in Ukraine.
M1989 Koksan in Russian service
The M1989 Koksan is the most powerful self-propelled field gun in North Korea's arsenal. It is equipped with a 170 mm calibre gun with a barrel length of 50 calibres.
According to publicly available data, it can strike targets at a distance of up to 40 kilometres or even 60 kilometres when using special ammunition. This is significantly more than the post-Soviet 122 mm and 152 mm artillery on which Russian units in Ukraine rely.
The quality of North Korean weapons sometimes raises doubts
On the other hand, the M1989 Koksan is one of those North Korean pieces of equipment about which experts have the most doubts regarding its quality and actual capabilities, primarily due to its age and the unusual shells required. As a result, Russians, wanting to continue using the M1989 Koksan, become entirely dependent on supplies from North Korea.
"A very unusual calibre, a very unusual location—the Russians are having a hard time with artillery after two years of war," wrote defence analyst Jarosław Wolski on his profile on X, commenting on the photos of the M1989 Koksan transports.
However, some experts believe any reinforcements from North Korea are valuable for the Russians and dangerous for the Ukrainians. They argue that even if parts of the shells or rockets are faulty, the rest can still hit their targets. In the case of the M1989 Koksan, the crucial fact is that it is artillery that has proven to be the most important weapon in the war in Ukraine, long-term more valuable than many more modern pieces of equipment.
The head of Ukrainian intelligence, Gen. Kyrylo Budanov, revealed in January that Russia might have already received about 120 M1989 "Koksan" artillery systems. This year's deliveries could reach similar levels.
