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Why are Russians using North Korean weapons? So, North Korea, it's one of the most closed off nations on the planet. With any information about what goes on inside the country carefully controlled by the government, their role in international affairs is at best limited and with a few exceptions are pretty much closed off from the rest of the world. So you could imagine the shock the international community felt when North Korean military equipment was seen in Russia and Ukraine. So what exactly is North Korea sending? Well, the exact extent of the North Korean involvement in the conflict is unknown, but can be traced as far back as 2022. These first supply shipments, mostly consisted of
artillery shells and rockets. As the war dragged on, older pieces of gear that had been mothballled for decades have been called back into service, including the M46 howitzer, which were first produced in the aftermath of the Second World War. After dusting off the guns in storage, there was a bit of a problem. This 130 mm artillery piece uses ammunition not typically utilized by Russia's military, and the few leftover rounds in storage were quickly used up. To make up for this shortfall, they turned to Pyongyang, who still equips its forces with the Chinese Type 59 howitzer, which is a copy of the M46 and uses the same ammunition. North Korea has large stockpiles of these and other
munitions such as the 152mm shells and surfaceto-surface rockets, having spent several decades staring down their southern neighbors, expending tremendous resources for an open conflict that has not yet erupted. This has left a large stockpile to draw from. As the conflict dragged on, the Russians were given more than just ammunition. However, according to intelligence reports, as well as posts on social media and military blogs studying the conflict, Russian forces have been equipped with an estimated 120 North Korean self-propelled artillery pieces. These are presumably the 170 mm M1989 Coxan howitzer. Because North Korea is so closed off, the exact technical details of the M1989 are a bit
of a mystery. The M1989 Cooxan is the western designation for the gun, first being observed in 1989 in the city of Kxan. It's based on the earlier M1978 Coxan, which used a Chinese type 59 main battle tank as the chassis, which was upgraded with the Soviet ATS-59 artillery tractor. The M1989 Coxan has a crew of seven and has enough storage space for 12 of the large 170 mm artillery rounds directly on board and relies on a second transport vehicle for more ammunition. The range of the main gun is about 25 mi or 40 km with conventional shells, though it can make use of rocket assisted ammunition, which extends the range out to about 37 miles or 60 km. It's got an estimated top
speed of around 50 km or 30 mph. Other information about the weapon system is limited, such as secondary weapons, armor thickness, and the level of protection against nuclear, biological, and chemical attacks. The North Koreans have also sent their M1991 multiple launch rocket system, or MLRS, to the conflict zone. Like other pieces of the North Korean arsenal, the M1991 designation is what it was called by Western intelligence, 1991 being the year it was first observed. This MLRS is based on the Soviet BM24 and can fire a barrage of 240 mm rockets at a reported range of 30 to 60 km or about 18 to 37 mi depending on the specific variant.
The M1991 can expend its complement of 22 rockets in about 45 seconds and can use a variety of warheads such as high explosive and fragmentation, smoke, and incendiary rounds. There's also the possibility that the rockets can be loaded with chemical weapons as well, though there's no indication that these have been used in Ukraine or even sent to the conflict zone. The launchers are mounted on a six- wheeled drivetr chassis that's unarmored. Though this isn't a major issue since it's designed to move into range of its target, fire, and then withdraw before the enemy can get a lock on it. The rockets are unguided and not particularly accurate and instead relies on area suppression,
covering a wide area with munitions rather than hitting a specific target. Sort of like carpet bombing. They've been used on large targets such as military bases and logistical centers as well as mass formations of troops in the field. It's estimated that 120 of these systems have been sent so far. The M1991 is a blast from the past, reminiscent of the legendary Kusha rockets, nicknamed Stalin's organ by German troops that the Soviets deployed with devastating effect in the Second World War. There are much more advanced weapons that are being sent by Pyongyang as well. Russia has deployed surfaceto-surface ballistic missiles, and at least one type has come from the North Koreans. It's either
called the Hawasong 11 or the KN23, depending on who you talk to. And as far as anyone can tell, it's based on a combination of the Russian Iscander and the South Korean Hyun Mu 2 and was first observed in 2018. As with most North Korean weapons, details here are sparse, but it has a reported range of about 600 to 700 km or about 375 to 435 mi. Though some observed missiles in Ukraine are the smaller KN23D variant with a 200 km or 125 m range. It can contain a 500 kg or,00 lb high explosive warhead and could potentially be fitted with a nuclear or chemical warhead as well. The missile is guided by either an internal guidance system or possibly by satellite, which means it can change its flight path while airborne, which
complicates any counter measures against it. The launcher is mounted on a truck, giving the system high mobility. This allows it to be set up, launch, and disappear before receiving return firearm. It is reported that 148 KN23s have been delivered as of January 2025 with plans to send 150 more in the coming year. These and other weapons have been used in Russia's ongoing war effort and are an unexpected move in the already complex geopolitical situation. There are also reports of North Korean soldiers and possibly civilian workers arriving into the conflict zone. Though it's unknown how many of them are deployed, if they're involved in combat, or if they're fulfilling some kind of
support role, such as engineers, advisers, or observers. This, like a lot of the information about North Korea's involvement, comes from a combination of vague news reports and social media, so take it all with a pinch of salt. As the conflict continues, it's expected that Russia will continue to receive more military equipment from North Korea in ever greater numbers. The question remains, however, why are they doing this? The most likely potential reason is that Russia needs replacements for ammunition and equipment that's been destroyed or worn out in the fighting, especially heavy weapons such as artillery, which are a priority target for Ukrainian forces. North Korea has a
large arsenal to draw on, so they have extras to spare. These are in unusual calibers, and Russian industry is struggling to keep up with the demand. It is easier to use pre-existing equipment from an ally than to make new items from scratch. It is also possible that the North Koreans are able to supply artillery and rockets in larger calibers than the Russians normally use. The 170 mm Cox shoots a very powerful round, much larger than the 152mm Akatsia self-propelled gun, so it can crack open fortified Ukrainian defenses much more easily. Other pieces of gear such as the Uragon MLRS is not cost
effective to use regularly and the Coxon has a much longer range than the Pon, another self-propelled Russian howitzer. Simply put, some North Korean weapons are just more effective than Russian equipment. North Korea could also be flexing its muscle on the world stage. They've spent decades closed off from the rest of the world, so maybe this is their way of getting involved. North Korea also hasn't had an open war in decades. So, this could be a way to pressure test their gear before they get involved in a conflict themselves. Who can say? This seems to be a revitalization of the Cold War agreement with both Russia and North Korea committed to aid the other in the event that one is attacked by an outside
force. While the exact conditions needed to trigger military intervention is subject to some interpretation, this agreement represents increased cooperation between the two nations. In addition to military aid, there's also an economic component to the treaty, increasing trade between both nations, which has increased nine times over the past year. It's unclear exactly what Russia is trading in exchange for North Korean equipment, though this could be raw materials, food, and possibly rubles, which is vital for the cashstrapped nation. North Korean involvement in the ongoing conflict in Ukraine has been closely watched by both national governments as well as casual observers of the conflict and represents an unexpected development in an already complex situation.
