No worse for the barrel wear What we know about the North Korean self-propelled cannons spotted in Russia’s arsenal (and what they could mean for the invasion of Ukraine)

If a photograph circulating online this week is accurate, Russia has deployed North Korean artillery systems to its Krasnoyarsk region. On November 14, the image appeared on multiple pro-Kremlin Telegram channels, and open-source intelligence experts soon geolocated it to Krasnoyarsk. Meduza reviews what we know about M1989 Koksan 170-millimeter self-propelled cannons and their potential impact on Russia’s invasion campaign in Ukraine.

The artillery systems in the photograph appear to be M1989 Koksan 170-millimeter self-propelled cannons. Little is known definitively about this weapon’s true capabilities. Even the name is just a provisional designation used by U.S. military intelligence, which first identified the cannons in the town of Koksan near Pyongyang in 1989. The Koksan’s 170-millimeter caliber is unusual; neither NATO nor the Soviet Union used anything like it. It matches the specifications of a German World War II-era cannon that the Soviet Union supplied to Kim Il Sung from captured stockpiles. Beyond that, any reported details about the M1989 Koksan are pure speculation.

Meanwhile, North Korean troops have already been deployed in Russia to aid the war in Ukraine. Just days ago, U.S. State Department spokesperson Vedant Patel confirmed that Pyongyang had sent “over 10,000 [North Korean] soldiers,” with most stationed in the Kursk region. The recent appearance of North Korean M1989 Koksans alongside these troops now raises the question of who exactly is meant to operate this equipment.

Whether North Korean forces operate as independent units or are integrated as infantry under Russian command, any autonomous deployment would require dedicated artillery and a full support infrastructure. However, the M1989 Koksan isn’t designed for direct infantry support. Instead, it’s a heavy artillery system intended for long-range strikes deep into enemy territory, targeting supply lines and strategic positions — a role similar to that of Russia’s 2S7 Pion cannons. The Russian military typically organizes such weapons into separate heavy artillery brigades, which makes it more likely that the North Korean artillery units are being supplied for Russia’s own use.

Still, it’s unclear how many Koksans Russia will actually receive. While North Korea’s production numbers are unknown, Pyongyang will likely keep most systems for domestic use, given that Koksans are reportedly meant to target Seoul in the event of hostilities with South Korea.

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The Koksan’s effectiveness is also debatable. According to the pro-war Telegram channel Military Informant, for example, the artillery system boasts impressive range but suffers from rapid barrel wear, making it a mixed bag — in other words, effective but not built to last. At the same time, the independent news outlet iStories suggests that Koksans could help replace Russia’s dwindling supply of 2S7 Pions.

Even without reliable data on the Koksan’s specifications, barrel wear is undeniably a critical issue in artillery warfare and is often more problematic than equipment losses. Military analysts have attributed Russia’s shortage of self-propelled artillery systems to barrel wear. The country has struggled to scale up barrel production, as the specialized machinery needed was mostly imported from the West after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Domestic production efforts have fallen short, and large-caliber barrels, like those used for 2S7 Pions, are in limited supply, though some Soviet-era stockpiles remain.

The M1989 Koksans’ potential impact on Russia’s war effort, however, remains unknown. Heavy artillery is a niche asset in warfare. Russia has used self-propelled artillery systems to support urban combat operations in cities like Mariupol, Rubizhne, Bakhmut, and Avdiivka, but aviation has increasingly taken over this role since 2023, with guided glide bombs offering greater precision and explosive power. Yet, artillery is perennially in demand, and Moscow undoubtedly welcomes any additional supplies to reinforce its invasion forces.