Russia turns to North Korean howitzers amid artillery crisis
In the Russian-occupied territory of Crimea, a railway transport of 7-8 M-1989 "Koksan" howitzers has been observed. This is becoming an increasingly common sight in the Russian armed forces. We explain why this is happening and what this system is capable of.
The transport observed in northern Crimea further underscores Russia's growing dependency on Kim Jong Un's regime, a situation that would have seemed fictional just a few years ago. Russia has currently exhausted its ability to produce new barrel artillery systems because its stockpile of barrels has run out. This includes barrels cannibalized from towed howitzers located in Putin's strategic junkyards.
This depletion, coupled with insufficient production of new barrels, means that the Russians' only hope has been the supply of compatible barrels from North Korea or the importation of complete systems. Examples of these systems include the 130 mm M-46, 122 mm D-74, or the M-1989 "Koksan" self-propelled howitzers with 170 mm caliber guns.
M-1989 "Koksan" - a weapon of terror from North Korea
The M-1989 "Koksan" howitzers conceptually resemble the Soviet 2S7 Pion but are equipped with a 170 mm gun approximately 36 feet long. The entire setup is mounted on a modified T-54/55 tank chassis, resulting in a 44-ton howitzer with immense destructive power.
The North Koreans designed the Koksan as a weapon of terror meant to level Seoul in the event of a full-scale war. Based on previous reports of ammunition from North Korea, the Koksan is not a precision weapon, but it can hit a city block. The concern is its destructive power, as it can fire shells weighing from 132 to 220 pounds over a distance of 25 miles, and with a rocket booster version, even 37 miles.
M-1989 "Koksan" - one of the few weapons capable of reaching Krab's range
For the Russians, this is not a significant advantage because more howitzers firing for longer periods are needed to achieve the intended target, but a Koksan is better than nothing. One issue is the estimated firing rate, as this system, which requires six soldiers to operate, is capable of only 1-2 shots every five minutes.
The Russians have very few artillery systems capable of reaching beyond 19 miles, which provides a significant advantage to the Ukrainians equipped with NATO artillery systems like the German PzH-2000 or Polish Krabs.
