--- title: "More North Korean Artillery Troops Heading To Russia: Ukraine Intel Chief" description: "North Korea is expected to send reinforcements to [Russia’s Kursk region](), Kyiv’s military intelligence chief told *The War Zone* exclusively. It will mostly be missile and artillery troops who typically operate hundreds of tubed and rocket artillery systems as well…" date: "2025-01-22" modified: "2025-01-22" authors: - name: "Howard Altman" job_title: "Senior Staff Writer" link: "https://www.twz.com/authors/howard-altman" url: "https://www.twz.com/news-features/more-north-korean-artillery-troops-heading-to-russia-ukraine-intel-chief" categories: - "Armies" - "Around The Globe" - "Artillery" - "Cannons" - "Europe" - "Indo-Pacific" - "Land" - "Multiple-Launch Rocket Systems (MLRS)" - "News & Features" - "North Korea" - "Russia" - "Russian Army" - "Tactical Ballistic Missiles" - "Ukraine" - "Ukrainian Army" --- # More North Korean Artillery Troops Heading To Russia: Ukraine Intel Chief ![]() *\KCNA\* North Korea is expected to send reinforcements to [Russia’s Kursk region](), Kyiv’s military intelligence chief told *The War Zone* exclusively. It will mostly be missile and artillery troops who typically operate hundreds of tubed and rocket artillery systems as well as the [KN-23 short-range ballistic missiles]() Pyongyang has already provided Moscow, Lt. Gen. Kyrylo Budanov, head of Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence Directorate (GUR), told us. The artillery is being used to support both North Korean and Russian operations while the missiles are strictly for Russian objectives, he added, noting that the North Koreans will also train Russians on all of those systems. “We don’t expect to see many new ground combat troops,” he posited. Ukrainian Special Operations Forces posted a video of its troops fighting North Koreans, which you can see in the following video. https://twitter.com/SOF\_UKR/status/1878718391374225603 Budanov’s comments add new details to[ reporting by *The New York Times*]() on Wednesday that North Korean reinforcements are expected to arrive in Kursk “within the next two months,” according to an anonymous senior U.S. defense official. The publication did not say how many troops or what kind. The Ukrainian intelligence chief did not know for sure how many new troops would be coming or when they would arrive. So far, about a third of [the 12,000 North Koreans sent to Kursk ]()have been killed, leaving about 8,000 to continue the fight, Budanov claimed. Those figures conform with [information provided yesterday]() by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. In contrast, the *BBC*, citing Western officials, [reported that there were 4,000 battle casualties]() including wounded. About 1,000 were killed, the outlet stated. *The War Zone* cannot independently verify either tally. ![UKRAINE - JANUARY 11: (----EDITORIAL USE ONLY - MANDATORY CREDIT - 'UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKY'S SOCIAL MEDIA / HANDOUT' - NO MARKETING NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS - DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS----) A photo shows an alleged North Korean soldier held after being captured by Ukrainian army on January 11, 2025. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Saturday the country's military had captured two North Korean soldiers in the Kursk region of Russia, adding that they had survived and were communicating with the Security Service of Ukraine. (Photo by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's Social Media / Handout/Anadolu via Getty Images)]() *A photo shows an alleged North Korean soldier held after being captured by Ukrainian army on Jan. 11, 2025. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the country's military had captured two North Korean soldiers in the Kursk region of Russia, adding that they had survived and were communicating with the Security Service of Ukraine. (Photo by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's Social Media / Handout/Anadolu via Getty Images) Anadolu* The new North Korean troops will boost Russia’s long-range fires in both Kursk and Ukraine, Budanov stated. North Korea has provided about 120 [170mm M1989 Koksan self-propelled artillery guns]() and 120 [M-1991 240mm multiple launch rocket systems]() (MLRS) to Russia in the last three months, and will likely send at least as many more in the future, Budanov told us. “They have a lot of these systems,” he added. North Korea has an immense artillery arsenal it has built up over decades for use primarily along the DMZ should a war between North and South erupt. It has exported [millions of artillery rounds to Russia](), which was in bad need of shells prior to the relationship between the two countries rapidly changing. https://twitter.com/KPAWeapons/status/1882017519042806238 [As we noted in our previous coverage](), the Koksans feature a 170mm caliber artillery cannon, mounted in an open superstructure rather than a protected turret atop a chassis similar in appearance to that used on Russia’s[ 2S7 Pion](), a 203mm self-propelled artillery piece. The M1989 version also has onboard storage for 12 rounds of ammunition. The weapon’s main advantage is its long range, with the big 170mm gun[ assessed]() as capable of firing a standard shell to a range of around 25 miles, or a rocket-assisted shell to a range of 37 miles. The M-1991s have 22 tubes aligned in two rows of eight and one row of six, [according to the U.S. Army](). They have high explosive, smoke, incendiary, and chemical warhead capabilities within 200-pound warheads. These rockets also have a maximum range of about 37 miles. Most of these weapons are either being used against troops in Ukraine or for training in Russia, Budanov noted. “The 170mm weapons have powerful ammunition and good capability,” Budanov pointed out. “The 240mm MLRS are like any other heavy systems. They make more problems on the front line.” ![]() *M-1991 240mm multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS) like these on parade in Pyongyang, have been sent to Russia, according to Ukrainian intelligence. (KCNA)* In addition to the artillery, Pyongyang is expected to send 150 more[ KN-23 short-range ballistic missiles ]()to Moscow in 2025, said Budanov, adding that there were 148 sent last year. North Korean troops are firing those weapons from both the Kursk and Bryansk regions and will continue to instruct Russians, who are now firing them as well, Budanov stated. Those missiles, [as we previously reported](), were first launched against Ukraine in January 2024, according to a Biden administration assessment at the time, with questionable results. ![]() *Russia has obtained the North Korean KN-23 short-range ballistic missile seen here. (North Korean State Media)* North Korean troops and weapons are adding to the challenges Ukraine faces both in Kursk and at home. In Kursk, they are being used in so-called meat wave assaults, attacking in large numbers with little armor support, [according to *The New York Times*]()*.* Though differences in language and doctrine reduce their effectiveness, the sheer numbers of North Korean troops have forced Ukraine to expend munitions and defend positions they might not have had to otherwise. https://twitter.com/Gerashchenko\_en/status/1882115110048608416 Budanov, however, is not impressed with their capabilities. “They are like biological robots,” he dismissed. Despite fierce efforts by Russia and its North Korean allies to dislodge them, Ukraine [still holds onto its Kursk salient](). Meanwhile, Russia continues to [slowly chew up ground ]()in the eastern part of Ukraine, especially near the key logistical hub of Pokrovsk. https://twitter.com/TheStudyofWar/status/1881900343623143541 However, these advances are coming at [an extremely high price]() in terms of personnel and equipment. Since February 2022, Russia has suffered about one million troop deaths while Ukraine lost about 700,000, President Donald Trump said during a White House press conference. https://twitter.com/clashreport/status/1881679239071801720 As the fight slogs on, the new Trump administration has tasked special envoy Keith Kellogg, a retired Army lieutenant general, with [wrapping up the fighting ]()in the next 100 days. That’s a questionable timeline especially given both Russian and Ukrainian objections to [publicly floated details]() from a plan co-written by Kellogg and published by the pro-Trump [America First Policy Institute](). It calls for a delay in Ukraine joining NATO, freezing the front lines where they are, and suggests that the U.S. will boost its aid to Ukraine if Russia does not comply, while it will cut off aid if Ukraine does not. However, despite pledges he could quickly end this conflict, Trump has yet to release his peace plan. Putin signaled that he was in[ no rush to settle the war]() in Ukraine, [*The* *Wall Street Journal* reported on Wednesday](). The goal of any coming talks “should not be a brief truce, not some kind of respite for the regrouping of forces and rearmament with a view to a subsequent continuation of the conflict, but a long-term peace based on respect for the legitimate interests of all people, all peoples who live in the region,” Putin said in a video released by the Kremlin this week, the publication noted. https://twitter.com/TVNewsNow/status/1881462611897954405 Trump meanwhile, responded by criticizing the all-out invasion, saying Putin is “destroying Russia by not making a deal.” Responding to a reporter’s question about whether he would further sanction Russia if Putin refused to negotiate, Trump tersely said “sounds likely.” He went on to blame his predecessor, former President Joe Biden, for allowing the war to happen. https://twitter.com/clashreport/status/1881951026741445100 Trump expounded on his thoughts about dealing with Russia in a post on his Truth Social social media platform proffering that if Putin doesn’t stop the war in Ukraine, he will impose tariffs and sanctions on Russia “and various other participating countries” — a likely nod to Iran, North Korea and China. https://twitter.com/alexbward/status/1882094274680140002 The looming addition of fresh North Korean troops and weapons further complicates any peace negotiations, giving Putin extra resources to continue the war. *Contact the author: howard@thewarzone.com* ## Author Howard is a Senior Staff Writer for *TWZ*. He writes frequently about conflict, focusing heavily on the Middle East and Ukraine, and interviews with military and intelligence officials and industry leaders from around the globe. He lives near Tampa, Florida, home of U.S. Central Command, U.S. Special Operations Command. ### Author social links [Twitter]() [LinkedIn]()