North Korean troops spotted in Kursk with advanced Russian rifles
Ukrainian operators from special units captured a group of North Korean soldiers in the Kursk region. Their equipment is surprising, as one carried a modern Russian AK-12 rifle. We present the performance of this latest evolution of the famous Kalashnikov.
It is estimated that about 12,000 soldiers from North Korea have arrived in Russia. At the current rate of losses, they may last until mid-April. Their attack tactics are primitive, but they pose a significant threat due to their high motivation.
Elite units have arrived in Ukraine, equipped with the latest equipment from North Korea and gear imported from Russia. This includes AK-12 rifles, the first photos of which appeared in North Korean hands at the end of 2024. Unfortunately, the photo below does not allow us to determine whether the captured specimen is of Russian or North Korean licensed production.
AK-12 rifle - an unsuccessful modernization of the famous Kalashnikov
AK-12 rifles entered service in the Russian Armed Forces in 2018, mainly as a modernization of the older AK-74M models to meet today’s military requirements.
The original variant, for example, included new sights, a dorsal rail on the receiver cover, and new polymer handguards with rail sections enabling the use of optical/electro-optical sights, flashlights, or lasers.
Additionally, the rifle received a new folding stock with length adjustment, a flash suppressor that also serves as a compensator compatible with a sound suppressor, and a two-shot burst mode, complicating the selector with a safety.
The weapon was not well received by soldiers, leading to several revisions. The latest version, from 2023, is designated the AK-12M1. It is worth noting that the specimen seized from the North Korean soldiers is an older AK-12 variant.
In the new variant, the biggest change is the addition of a new selector lever with a safety and the elimination of the unnecessary two-shot burst mode, which adds little to a rifle with a rate of fire of 600 rounds per minute.
Furthermore, the Russians reportedly improved the mounting of the receiver cover so that optical sights mounted on it "hold zero" and do not require re-zeroing each time the weapon is disassembled. The rifle also received a new folding stock equipped with a height-adjustable cheek rest.
Apart from these additions, it is essentially still the same AK-74M rifle, as the operating principle is identical. The new AK-12 is just a bit heavier (8 lbs) and can use new polymer magazines with a transparent window for quickly checking remaining rounds. It is not a weapon that stands out in any special way, and according to some users, it is worse than the old AK-74M equipped with a Zenitco rail set, which is a popular choice among Spetsnaz soldiers.
