Ukraine Situation Report: The Curious Case Of Kyiv’s North Korean Rockets

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In another bizarre example of Ukraine searching high and low for ammunition, Kyiv has been striking Russian positions with 122mm Grad rockets from an interesting source: North Korea.

Christopher Miller (@ChristopherJM ) reported in Financial Times on Saturday that a batch of rockets from one of Moscow’s few remaining allies made it into the Ukrainian stockpile. Exactly how Kyiv got them remains in question, the rockets were either captured from Russian positions or allegedly seized at sea by a friendly country and donated to Ukraine.

Ukrainian troops have come into possession of North Korea-made rockets they’re using with Grad MLRS along the frontline.

Hat tip to @CalibreObscura @UAWeapons @RALee85 for help with ID. https://t.co/8nrJd2uaWh

— Christopher Miller (@ChristopherJM) July 29, 2023

Citing a Ukrainian artillery commander, Miller reports the rockets have earned a troublesome reputation for duds and misfires, so much so that a soldier warned not to stand too close to the BM-21 launcher when it fired the rounds. Markings reportedly indicate they were manufactured in the 1980s or 1990s. Miller spoke to Ukrainian soldiers using the rockets on Bakhmut’s flanks, but photos from late June show another batch of rockets in use with a unit fighting near Orikhiv in Zaporizhzhia Oblast.

A staple of many conflicts since its introduction in the mid-1960s, a BM-21 can fire its full load of 40 Grad rockets in 20 seconds, saturating a broad target area with munitions. They have been widely used by both sides of the war since the full-scale invasion’s opening hours.

A Ukrainian BM-21 Grad multiple rocket launcher. Ukrainian Ministry of Defense.

Like many Soviet Cold War systems, it was widely proliferated, reproduced, and adapted by Warsaw Pact and Moscow-aligned countries, including North Korea. Pyongyang has its own version of the launcher, known as the BM-11, but it carries only 30 rockets and rides on a different chassis.

A North Korean BM-11 30-tube multiple rocket launcher. Basset55 via Wikimedia Commons.

The U.S. has previously accused North Korea of providing vast stocks of weapons, ammunition, and winter gear to Russia to support their war in Ukraine. A further sign of the nations’ codependence, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu led Moscow’s delegation to Pyongyang this week marking the 70th Anniversary of the Korean War Armistice. 

However Ukraine got the rockets, it’s the latest example of Kyiv and its allies securing whatever large caliber ammunition supplies they can to feed the war effort as the counteroffensive continues. Last October, we wrote about the remarkable case of the Royal Air Force shuttling thousands of Soviet-caliber artillery rounds from Pakistan to Romania for later transfer to Ukrainian forces. As long as much of Ukraine’s army relies on Soviet-made artillery, the hunt for third-party ammunition supplies will continue.

Before we head into the latest news from Ukraine, The War Zone readers can catch up on our previous rolling coverage of the war here.

The Latest

CNN got an up-close look at one of Ukraine’s latest drone boat, that follows in a lineage that includes those used in past raids against Sevastopol, attacks on ships of the Black Sea Fleet, and possibly in a recent strike on the Kerch Strait Bridge,. The low-visibility gray boat has a gimballed and staring optical sensors allowing for remote control. It can reportedly carry a big 300-kilogram warhead out to a range of 800 kilometers.

We got an exclusive look at Ukraine's latest sea drone, used to attack Russia in the Black Sea. Fast, nimble and packed with 100s of kg of explosives. Naval drones just hit the Kerch Bridge and they say the drones are limiting the Black Sea Fleet's movements. pic.twitter.com/Rmm2RRZxoF

— Alex Marquardt (@MarquardtA) July 29, 2023

The boat can be seen making tight turns and maneuvers just offshore while under the control of its operator, call sign “Shark.” He told CNN the drone boats exploit a hole in Russian warships’ defenses with their low profile. 

CNN

Warships of the Black Sea Fleet are designed to fight other warships and target similarly sized surface vessels, Shark said. Their sensors and targeting systems are ill-equipped to track and engage the low-observable boats. Still, Russian ships and helicopters have managed to engage the boats in massed small arms and cannon fire once within visual range

Russian Defense Ministry announced that Ukraine attempted to attack the Ivan Khurs signals intelligence ship of the Russian Navy with 3 unmanned surface vessels (USVs) in the Black Sea this morning.

Moscow released footage allegedly showing the destruction of one of the USVs. pic.twitter.com/YfS7xWSGWw

— Status-6 (Military & Conflict News) (@Archer83Able) May 24, 2023

Ukraine released a video from today’s attack on Sevastopol. It shows a naval drone targeting the Black Sea Fleet’s Admiral Makarov Project 11356 frigate, which Russian sources said was damaged (it replaced the Moskva as the Black Sea Fleet’s flagship). https://t.co/zdAeWUvDrb pic.twitter.com/TNnIu4OIap

— Rob Lee (@RALee85) October 29, 2022

The satellite communications array seen at the rear of the boat is also new. It is widely assumed that Starlink was used on earlier Ukrainian drone boats, but the company began limiting access to certain areas and other parameters to negate the system’s with weapons like drone boats. This new satcom array likely gets around those limitations by using another provider.

In its Saturday intelligence update, the British Ministry of Defense noted increased fighting in two frontline sectors in southern Ukraine over the last 48 hours. Battles between Ukrainian forces and elements of Russia’s 58th Combined Arms Army are ongoing near the village of Robotyne as Ukrainian troops try to breach the first of Russia’s defensive lines.

The update also confirmed the news of Staromaiorske’s liberation, the Donetsk Oblast logistics node to the east. Ukrainian forces retook the village from the VDV’s 247th Guards Air Assault Regiment. At the same time, however, other VDV units have continued attacks in the Serebriansk Forest along the Kremina-Svatove line, though they have gained little ground on Ukrainian forces.

Latest Defence Intelligence update on the situation in Ukraine – 29 July 2023.

Find out more about Defence Intelligence's use of language: https://t.co/fMz5G0zMCP

🇺🇦 #StandWithUkraine 🇺🇦 pic.twitter.com/40214yywD6

— Ministry of Defence 🇬🇧 (@DefenceHQ) July 29, 2023

Ukrainians continue offensive operations on the eastern front, gaining ground in Staromaiorske and advancing on Urozhaine.https://t.co/0QbOOUYLbt

— Euromaidan Press (@EuromaidanPress) July 29, 2023

The Institute for the Study of War (@TheStudyofWar ) reported the Ukrainian offensive on Robotyne was unsuccessful, though they have reportedly closed to the town’s northeast outskirts.

#Ukrainian forces conducted offensive operations in western #Zaporizhia Oblast and made no confirmed advances on July 28.

Multiple #Russian sources claimed that Ukrainian forces unsuccessfully attacked Russian forces near #Robotyne south of #Orikhiv. https://t.co/VoxRyKxGlV https://t.co/bbarIzfnJu pic.twitter.com/vLBHuXp7aN

— Institute for the Study of War (@TheStudyofWar) July 29, 2023

Drone video is claimed to show a failed Ukrainian attack east of Robotyne, with mounted troops advancing from a heavily cratered treeline up to Russian trenches. However, the column ends up exposed in the open, with heavy fire coming down on the Ukrainian vehicles.

Whoever planned this assault should be jailed. I am sorry but I can’t stay silent. Not all commanders are the best and not everything is perfect. But this is complete disaster in planning. I watched this failed attack from multiple drones now. And have no other conclusion that… pic.twitter.com/U2cAQ6TxHD

— ✙ 🔼Constantine 🔼✙ (@Teoyaomiquu) July 28, 2023

If it wasn’t apparent from the last two months of Ukrainian counterattacks against dug-in Russian positions, there has been neither a sweeping advance nor a rout of Russian forces like those in Kharkiv and Kherson oblasts last year. Speaking in ISW’s Briefing Room on YouTube, Russia analyst George Barros cautioned against lofty expectations for the coming weeks. 

.@georgewbarros: “We must be careful about raising expectations for a rapid or dramatic Ukrainian advance that Ukrainian forces are unlikely to make in a short period of time. We assess that Ukrainian forces can achieve operational successes, but it might take a while."… https://t.co/HW9fnveJzR

— Institute for the Study of War (@TheStudyofWar) July 29, 2023

Also in the south, Ukrainian counterbattery fire continues to hunt down Russian guns. In a Telegram post, Russian blogger Ross Marsov says a battalion’s worth of artillery guns have been lost in an area known as the “Vremevsky Ledge” around Staromlynivka in the last two months.

Russian blogger Ross Marsov says Russians have lost around 20 artillery guns, which equals to one artillery battalion, just in "Vremevsky ledge" (Staromlynivka axis) in the past two months. pic.twitter.com/r2FDEqGBxE

— WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated) July 29, 2023

Video shows a strike on a Russian 2A36 Giatsint-B 152mm field gun position, with some of the nearby ammunition cooking off after the strike. Another video shows the gun’s self-propelled counterpart, the 2S5 Giatsint-S, burning down after a Ukrainian attack.

Wanna see the worst firing position in Ukraine? pic.twitter.com/T4iCm0Engg

— Andrew Perpetua (@AndrewPerpetua) July 29, 2023

Russian Giatsint-S gone 🤭👍 pic.twitter.com/EVksnk6ysf

— NOELREPORTS 🇪🇺 🇺🇦 (@NOELreports) July 29, 2023

There’s also an incredible photo from the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense showing a 155mm rocket-assisted-projectile (RAP) fired by troops with the 57th Motorized Infantry Brigade. Brilliant flames from the rocket motor can be seen pouring out from behind the shell just after launch.

Wish upon a shooting star… so it reaches its intended destination.

📷 57th Motorized Infantry Brigade pic.twitter.com/Whb7K3Zofz

— Defense of Ukraine (@DefenceU) July 29, 2023

Clips from Ukraine’s 3rd Company, 3rd Separate Assault Brigade show incredible first-person footage of a mechanized attack on Russian positions near Bakhmut. Dismounting from their M113 armored personnel carrier, the troops move up through the tall grass before descending into the trenches and dugouts. Overhead drone footage shows the harrowing advance into the trenches and foxholes as Ukrainians clear the positions. 

New combat footage from the 3rd company of the 3rd separate assault brigade.

"Offensive on Bakhmut. Taking positions of the occupiers. During the clearing of the trenches, the enemy fired at the assault groups. Despite this, the fighters continued the assault on the dugouts,… pic.twitter.com/XATKfRI6kC

— NOELREPORTS 🇪🇺 🇺🇦 (@NOELreports) July 29, 2023

Also near Bakhmut, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky visited Special Operations Forces (SSO) troops to meet with commanders and commend their efforts in the sector. Saturday is also Day of Special Operations Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, which Zelensky marked with a video showing some of SSO’s operations since the war began.

❗️President Volodymyr #Zelensky visited Ukrainian defenders in the #Bakhmut direction 👇

"Bakhmut direction, advanced positions of the Special Operations Forces. Today, I am here to congratulate our warriors on their professional day, to honor their strength. I heard a… pic.twitter.com/xKOlQnctQL

— KyivPost (@KyivPost) July 29, 2023

Our Special Operations Forces. It is impossible to tell everything about their bravery now. Only after the war. The most complex operations. The riskiest. Prepared using the most advanced means. Destruction of logistics of Russian terrorists. Sabotage against the occupiers. Our… pic.twitter.com/oGPmqpWOTi

— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) July 29, 2023

Zelensky also made another visit to a Donetsk Oblast gas station, where he took selfies with Ukrainian troops behind the lines.

⚡️Zelenskyy once again stopped by one of the gas stations in the Donetsk region

But according to tradition, he talked with military and civilians. pic.twitter.com/rIRhC9UkEs

— 🪖MilitaryNewsUA🇺🇦 (@front_ukrainian) July 29, 2023

Two explosions rocked the city of Donetsk on Saturday, the first an attack on the Ministry of Internal Affairs building seen from a passing dashcam. It’s not clear from the video what kind of munition was used, but large chunks of building and concrete sidewalk can be seen raining back to the street as the driver speeds away.

⚡️Strike at the building of the local Ministry of Internal Affairs in Donetsk today pic.twitter.com/CRVzBYBFXq

— War Monitor (@WarMonitors) July 28, 2023

Later in the day, a reported Russian ammunition dump in the city exploded with numerous secondary blasts heard on video of the distant flames. 

Donetsk. Ammo depot 🤭💥 pic.twitter.com/TErKBzKoQ1

— NOELREPORTS 🇪🇺 🇺🇦 (@NOELreports) July 29, 2023

‼️ #Донецк, Азотный сейчас pic.twitter.com/RrsS79WCGY

— Типичный Донецк (@typicaldonetsk) July 29, 2023

Explosions were also reported in occupied Crimea, where there was reportedly an attack on the critical Chongar Bridge connecting the peninsula to Ukraine. We wrote about an earlier strike on the bridge, one of Ukraine’s first using the British-supplied Storm Shadow cruise missiles, in June.

Locals confirm that one strong explosion was heard early this morning in the area of ​​the Chongar bridge. Some sources claim that the bridge was hit by a Storm Shadow and that the bridge was allegedly damaged. However, there is no video / photo evidence of the damage to the… pic.twitter.com/MaOWrvk2KU

— Special Kherson Cat 🐈🇺🇦 (@bayraktar_1love) July 29, 2023

Reports have since emerged that the bridge is now closed with road traffic having backed up into Crimea. Russian accounts had intercepted a number of cruise missiles in an attempted attack, but the Ukrainian Armed Forces has claimed a “successful attack” on the bridge. It remains to be seen how and if the bridge was indeed hit in the strike.

The Armed Forces of Ukraine successfully struck the Chongar Bridge, — Ukrainian Military. 🎯

The interruption of the crossing between Crimea and the Kherson region resulted in huge queues, photos of which were shared by worried russians. pic.twitter.com/0B0uSTi13v

— kosak (@DmytroSolenko) July 29, 2023

Defense forces of Ukraine successfully struck the Chongar bridge – StratCom.

The bridge on the administrative border with Crimea was damaged this morning. Ruscists are silent about the attack, but eyewitnesses report that the bridge was closed to traffic. pic.twitter.com/GO60Woy9nj

— Devana 🇺🇦 (@DevanaUkraine) July 29, 2023

The 🇺🇦 Defence Forces successfully attacked the Chongar Bridge in the Kherson region on the morning of July 29, as reported by the StratCom of the AFU pic.twitter.com/VphAywhtc7

— Maria Drutska 🇺🇦 (@maria_drutska) July 29, 2023

Also in Crimea, the Ukrainian GUR military intelligence agency claims several explosions occurred at a Russian ammo depot near Cossack Bay in Sevastopol’s west end. The 810th Guards Naval Infantry Brigade is based in the numerous military facilities along the bay, and Ukraine struck the nearby fuel depot in late April

Ukraine’s GUR military intelligence agency reported explosions occurred overnight “as a result of sabotage” at a Russian ammunition depot near Cossack Bay in Russian-occupied Crimea, where it said the 810th separate marine infantry brigade is located. It shared this video. pic.twitter.com/cNXQ5ndYWi

— Christopher Miller (@ChristopherJM) July 29, 2023

In Poland, two more Leopard 2A4 tanks arrived at the Giwice maintenance hub for repairs after taking battle damage in Ukrainian service. The long supply line for such repairs to get those tanks back in the fight is precisely why German arms maker Rheinmetall will soon open a repair center inside Ukraine.

⚡️Today, 2 damaged 🇺🇦Ukrainian Leopard 2A4 tanks arrived at the Giwice hub. Currently, at least 4 Leopard 2A4s are under repair and maintenance in 🇵🇱Poland

To reduce the time it takes to transport tanks to Poland (in the case of the Leopard 2A6 🇩🇪Germany/🇱🇹Lithuania),… pic.twitter.com/8nyYTHRgcN

— 🪖MilitaryNewsUA🇺🇦 (@front_ukrainian) July 29, 2023

The Polish government has also further sounded alarm over Wagner Group PMC forces in neighboring Belarus. Having already deployed additional troops to the border after Wagner elements neared, Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki claims more than 100 Wagner troops have moved toward the strategic Suwalki Gap.

The move, Morawieki says, is to disguise Wagner forces as Belarussian border guards and assist migrants trying to illegally cross into Poland, what the prime minister called an “unconditional step” towards a hybrid attack on Poland. 

⚡️ Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki says that more than 100 "Wagnerians" has gone towards the Suwałki Gap connecting Poland with the Baltic States.

According to him, they will be disguised as Belarusian border guards and will help illegal immigrants to enter the country… pic.twitter.com/bITbxRnYpv

— BLYSKAVKA (@blyskavka_ua) July 29, 2023

As Russian troops poured into Belarus and massed ahead of their invasion of Ukraine, Warsaw and Minsk came into crisis amid significant unrest over migrant riots along their borders in late 2021.

At the occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors have confirmed one reactor’s cold shutdown and another’s move to “hot” shutdown. The IAEA team further reported the reactor vessel, spent fuel pool, and steam generator appeared to be in “normal” condition.

The @iaeaorg team visited reactor unit 5 of the Zaporizhzhya NPP. They observed the reactor vessel, spent fuel pool & steam generator, noted that all equipment seemed to be in normal condition. https://t.co/QpeoxO12FH

— UN News (@UN_News_Centre) July 29, 2023

Russian forces have captured a Ukrainian CV9040C infantry fighting vehicle near Kremina in Luhansk Oblast. The Swedish-supplied vehicle was reportedly damaged by an RPG and abandoned by its crew a few days before its capture.

#Ukraine: A Ukrainian CV9040C infantry fighting vehicle was captured by the Russian army in the vicinity of Kreminna, #Luhansk Oblast. The vehicle was damaged by an RPG few days ago and then abandoned by the crew. pic.twitter.com/fExar2rx5i

— 🇺🇦 Ukraine Weapons Tracker (@UAWeapons) July 29, 2023

Lastly, there is a remarkable clip from a Ukrainian first-person-view (FPV) kamikaze drone flying right in the open back window of a Russian SUV. The strike reportedly occurred on the E40 highway north of Bakhmut, with the drone’s final moments capturing a Russian occupant holding his phone as if to take a picture just before impact.

Ukrainian FPV loitering munition strike targeting a Russian SUV on the E40 north of Bakhmut. pic.twitter.com/6yYYau4ikv

— OSINTtechnical (@Osinttechnical) July 29, 2023

That’s all for now. We will update this story when there’s more to report on Ukraine.

Contact the author: stetson.payne@thewarzone.com