Ukraine's forces strike rare North Korean Koksan self-propelled artillery unit in Luhansk region
Illustrative photo: Ukrainian Armed Forces destroyed a North Korean Koksan unit (wikimedia.org)
The Operators of the Unmanned Systems Forces struck a North Korean-made Koksan self-propelled artillery unit in the Luhansk region, according to a statement from the Unmanned Systems Forces (SBS).
Read also: Ukrainian forces hit strategic Russian refinery in record-setting strike
The statement says that operators of the 429th Akhilles Brigade of the Unmanned Systems Forces identified a rare target in the Luhansk region — a North Korean Koksan self-propelled artillery unit.
Operators of the Unmanned Systems Forces struck a North Korean “Koksan” self-propelled artillery system
— Unmanned Systems Forces (@usf_army) February 16, 2026
Operators of the @achilles_429 detected and identified a rare target — an enemy self-propelled artillery system in the Luhansk region.
The system was firing in the direction… pic.twitter.com/WRWlnqmsa0
"The unit was firing in the direction of Kupiansk. At the time of detection, a heat signature from recent firing was observed. After coordinates were confirmed and the target tracked, the brigade’s pilots struck it three times," the Unmanned Systems Forces reported.
What is known about the Koksan SPAU
The North Korean M-1978 Koksan self-propelled artillery unit is one of the longest-range artillery systems in the aggressor country’s arsenal. It is equipped with a 170-mm gun and capable of striking targets up to 60 km away.
The Russian army received these artillery units from North Korea as military aid. In this way, Russia is boosting its artillery capabilities amid significant losses of its military equipment in Ukraine.
Destruction of enemy equipment
Operators of the Unmanned Systems Forces from the Asgard Battalion of the 412th Nemesis Brigade destroyed two of the Russian forces’ Tor-M2 surface-to-air missile systems in a single night.
Earlier, Unmanned Systems Forces operators destroyed six surface-to-air missile systems and radar stations within 48 hours. This equipment formed the backbone of the enemy’s so-called layered air defense.
Recently, Ukrainian Unmanned Systems Forces units destroyed a rare Russian electronic warfare system, the KOP-2. Only two drones were needed to strike this very expensive system.
The forces also struck a Russian R-330Zh Zhytel electronic warfare station, valued at around $10 million.
Additionally, on the night of January 13, the Unmanned Systems Forces attacked energy facilities in occupied Mariupol, Donetsk region, and destroyed an ammunition depot in Makiivka.
It was recently reported that the Unmanned Systems Forces disrupted a Russian offensive on one of the key directions. Specifically, the operators repelled the enemy attack by striking infantry, armored vehicles, and a ground-based robotic system.
