North Korea’s Deadly Artillery: Koksan Howitzers Now Deployed in Russia’s Fight Against Ukraine

On Tuesday, North Korean-made M1989 Koksan self-propelled howitzers were spotted in action on the Russian front, indicating their supply to Russian forces.

Fox News reported that U.S.-based video production company East2West released footage showing the Koksan deployed in Russian combat zones. The images have since spread across social media platforms.

It remains unconfirmed whether these howitzers were precisely positioned to counter Ukrainian forces that reportedly infiltrated Russia’s Kursk region.

In November of last year, images circulated on social media platforms, including X, showing Koksan howitzers being transported by rail through Siberia.

Military analysts suggest that the confirmed presence of North Korean-made Koksan self-propelled howitzers would signify a substantial escalation in foreign military aid to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.

According to Fox News, the Koksan is a 170mm self-propelled howitzer with a range of approximately thirty-seven miles and can fire up to two rounds every five minutes.

Reports indicate that both sides suffered significant casualties following a surprise Ukrainian assault on Russia’s Kursk region in August.

Ukrainian military officials claim that roughly 15,000 Russian soldiers have been killed and 23,000 wounded in the area in the past five months. Russia has asserted that 49,000 Ukrainian troops have been killed.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that North Korean forces have suffered approximately 3,800 casualties to date in an interview on Sunday.

The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) assesses that Ukrainian forces demonstrate tactical superiority in their intensified offensive, including sustained long-range strikes in the Kursk region.