A North Korean M1989 Koksan self-propelled howitzer has reportedly been sighted on Russia's front lines, as per recent reports. The howitzer, with a range of up to 37 miles using rocket-assisted shells, is capable of firing one to two shells every five minutes.
Initial news of the weaponry, accompanied by a video allegedly showing one of the howitzers in a combat setting, was first disclosed by East 2 West news. Images of the howitzer surfaced on social media, although the location of the weapon could not be independently verified.
Open-source intelligence revealed in November indicated that the howitzers were transported through Siberia by rail shortly after the U.S. confirmed North Korea had deployed around 12,000 soldiers to Russia. This movement occurred following a defensive treaty signed between Pyongyang and Moscow, pledging mutual military support.
The exact location of the video featuring the North Korean howitzer remains uncertain, with speculation that it might be from Russia's Kursk region, where North Korean troops were dispatched to counter Ukraine's incursion initiated in August.
Both Ukraine and Russia have reported significant casualties in the region, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stating that approximately 3,800 North Korean troops have been killed or wounded. The Ukrainian military claimed that 15,000 Russian soldiers were killed and 23,000 injured in Kursk over the past five months.
Moscow alleged that at least 49,000 Ukrainian troops were lost, without specifying the number of casualties. The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) noted Ukrainian forces' tactical advances in Kursk, emphasizing their use of integrated strike capabilities to support ground operations.
Russian forces made limited ground operations towards Kharkiv in northern Ukraine, facing minimal progress. Ukrainian offensive operations in Kursk have reportedly reduced Russian ground attacks in northern Kharkiv Oblast.
Reports indicated Russian advances in Donetsk, capturing Kurakhove in the Donbas region. The potential fall of Kurakhove could signify Russian forces closing in on Ukrainian troops, aiming to secure strategic wins and access to vital supply routes.
Ukraine has not officially confirmed the fall of Kurakhove, and Russian forces have not made significant strategic advances in other front-line areas at present.
