North Korea may supply Russia with 60-km range MLRS, says Forbes
Photo: North Korea could transfer M1991 MLRS to Russia (Getty Images)
North Korea may have supplied Russia with its powerful M1991 multiple launch rocket systems, capable of striking targets up to 60 km away, informs Forbes.
North Korea is reported to have supplied Russia with 100 artillery systems, including M1989 self-propelled howitzers and M1991 multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS).
Analyst David Axe notes that the M1989 howitzers fire 170 mm shells weighing 45 kg each, with a range of at least 40 km. He describes the M1991 as a significant addition to Russia's artillery capabilities.
The M1991 system can launch 240 mm rockets weighing 187 kg up to 60 km. Axe claims that this MLRS surpasses most of the artillery systems used by Ukraine, except for the US-supplied HIMARS.
The North Korean military stores its M1991 launchers in mountain fortifications along the demilitarized zone between the two Koreas. In wartime, these systems could target Seoul.
The analyst adds that these launchers could strike Ukrainian trenches and counter-fire against Ukrainian howitzers and launchers. The M1991 could even hit Kharkiv, which is only 25 miles (40 km) from the Russia-Ukraine border.
North Korea’s involvement in the war
North Korea has supplied Russia with ammunition and ballistic missiles, which have been used to strike Ukraine. Western media reports suggest that North Korea has also provided Russia with long-range missile and artillery systems.
Additionally, it was revealed in the autumn that North Korea sent over 10,000 soldiers to Russia to participate in the war against Ukraine.
According to Ukraine's Defense Forces, North Korean troops have already engaged in combat in Russia’s Kursk region. Reports indicate casualties among North Korean soldiers and officers.
