North Korean artillery backs Russian push amid logistical woes
North Korea has sent around 10,000 infantry soldiers from its elite units to the Kursk region, armed and trained by the Russians. It was only after a month of fighting and heavy losses that Kim Jong Un decided to provide his soldiers with heavy equipment, including artillery and self-propelled rocket launchers.
Kim's soldiers have so far struggled to adapt to the modern battlefield, which is dominated by drones and radars like the Ukrainian Biskvit-KB or SR Hawk, equipped with optoelectronic observation technology. The North Korean troops have been moving across open terrain in columns, without the support of infantry fighting vehicles or artillery. However, artillery support is expected to arrive soon.
Koksans to the rescue
According to the British newspaper "Financial Times" around 50 Koksans, large-calibre artillery pieces and approximately 20 multi-launch rocket systems with a 240 mm calibre on wheeled chassis, are being sent to Russia. The arrival of the latter has yet to be confirmed.
Although North Korea's artillery is somewhat modern, it has mostly remained at the development level of the 1970s. The main weapons of the North Korean forces are the M-20 howitzer, which dates back to the 1930s, and the D-74, a model that is about 20 years newer, produced under licence in Korea.
Self-propelled artillery is relatively newer, though models M-1991 and M-1992 are simply old howitzers mounted on tracked chassis, often from artillery tractors dating back to the 1950s and 60s. The Juche 107 is more modern, using a chassis based on T-72 tanks. However, the Kim regime has sent its more advanced weaponry to Russia.
In mid-November, a train carrying the self-propelled field gun M-1989 Koksan, with a calibre of 170 mm, was observed in Siberian Krasnoyarsk. According to unofficial sources, these guns have now appeared in western Russia.
The Koksan is a completely North Korean design, mounted on the chassis of a Chinese Type 59 tank, which is a licensed version of the Soviet T-54 tank. The gun has a range of up to 40 km when using regular ammunition, extending to about 60 km with rounds equipped with a gas generator. Its rate of fire is modest; during the Iran-Iraq war, where Koksans were used, it was determined to be only one shot every 2.5 minutes.
The Koksan is the North Korean equivalent of the Soviet 2S7 Pion gun, with a calibre of 203 mm. Both Russians and Ukrainians use similar guns to destroy fortifications, such as combat bunkers, trenches, rear supply depots, and command posts. Combined with modern reconnaissance, effective communication, and modern ammunition, they can be a potent combat tool.
They are meant to help, but obstacles are piling up
After occupying parts of the Kursk region, the Ukrainians constructed field fortifications in several locations, which Russian attacks have struggled to penetrate. Consequently, the Kursk Military Group is failing to meet the deadlines set by Vladimir Putin to reclaim lost territories. The initial deadline was the end of September.
Following further unsuccessful operations, Putin had to delay the "final" date for reclaiming the Kursk region until the inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump. This is due to fears that the Americans will push for a ceasefire along the current front line. Losing part of the territory would be difficult for Kremlin propaganda to justify.
This is likely the main reason why two artillery regiments, each equipped with 36 M-1989 Koksan guns, have been deployed to western Russia. It is expected that North Korean equipment will assist the Russians in regaining lost ground. However, a challenge exists that might undermine these plans.
The only producer of 170 mm ammunition for Koksans is North Korea, and the shells must first be transported nearly 6,700 km. Given the inefficiency of Russian logistics, this is a challenging task. Considering the Ukrainian forces’ effectiveness in destroying key ammunition depots, the new equipment may not significantly impact military operations.
The capabilities of the Koksan may also be limited by the training of North Korean soldiers, who have not had the opportunity to work with reconnaissance drones and modern artillery radars. In addition, they may struggle to defend against these technologies, given the limited mobility of their chassis.
