The fighters of the 412th Separate Battalion of Unmanned Systems NEMESIS successfully struck the 170mm exotic self-propelled artillery (M-1989 Koksan), revealing a series of flaws in the system, reports Defence Express.
All signs point to the fact that, for the first time, a North Korean M-1989 Koksan self-propelled artillery system was hit, which had only recently arrived at the front. The corresponding video showing the strike on this artillery system was released by the 412th Separate Battalion of Unmanned Systems NEMESIS.
The video captures a successful drone attack that drops the artillery system, which has several distinctive features, allowing it to be identified as the North Korean M-1989 Koksan. The video is shot using a thermal imager, suggesting it was a night mission. The exact location is not disclosed, but it is noted that the event took place in the Luhansk region.
"It is worth noting that the strike on the self-propelled artillery hit the area where the motor-transmission compartment is located, so it is possible that the Koksan sustained damage to its power unit. Additionally, the 170mm barrel of the system may have suffered fragmentation damage. It is quite possible that this Koksan will now have to travel over 8,000 kilometers by rail back to North Korea for repairs. Ultimately, this episode of the strike on the North Korean M-1989 Koksan reveals a number of its flaws. Specifically, the open artillery system lacks armor protection, with areas vulnerable to drone attacks that cannot be covered by the traditional "grills" used by Russian systems. Moreover, the Koksans, with their chassis based on the Chinese copy of the T-54 tank—Type 59—have relatively limited mobility," reports Defence Express analysts.
According to the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, Russia has already received 120 such self-propelled artillery units (M-1989 Koksan) and expects to receive another 120 units during 2025.
