Russia deploys unusual North Korean weapons on the Ukrainian front

Reports have emerged of North Korean soldiers engaging in combat alongside Russian forces on the front lines. Notably, in late November 2024, Ukraine's 3rd Assault Brigade encountered and successfully neutralized a distinctive North Korean weapon being used by Russian troops.

The weapon in question was a Bulsae-4 Anti-Tank Guided Missile system. It was taken out by an attack drone in the Kharkiv region according to a report by Defense Post. But what was a North Korean Bulsae-4 doing fighting on the frontlines of Ukraine?

More evidence of North Korea's assistance©The Daily Digest

 

"The destruction of the Bulsae-4 missile system is seen as further evidence of North Korea’s direct involvement in the conflict," Defense Post wrote.

First reported in July 2024©The Daily Digest

 

North Korea has been providing material and military assistance to Russia since 2023. However, the first reports that the advanced North Korean Bulsae-4 system had made its way into Russian hands came in July 2024. 

Russia closed its anti-tank missile gap with Ukraine©The Daily Digest

 

Video footage released in late July 2024 showed that Moscow was likely using the powerful North Korean anti-tank vehicle on the frontlines in Ukraine. It was bad news for the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

A self-propelled missile system from North Korea©The Daily Digest

 

Reports at the time analyzing social media images suggested that Russian Forces had allegedly started using the Bulsae-4 in combat. 

 

What is the Bulsae-4?©The Daily Digest

"The Bulsae-4 is a Non-Line of Sight (NLOS) anti-tank guided missile (ATGM) with an estimated range of over 10 kilometers. It appears broadly equivalent to the U.S. FGM-148 Javelin and Chinese HJ-12," wrote The Diplomat's A.B. Abrams.

The Bulsae-4 in Ukraine

©The Daily Digest

 

Several reports indicated Moscow had deployed the North Korea Bulsae-4 to the frontlines in Ukraine based on an image published by the Telegram channel KUP(+18). 

Spotted by a drone

©Provided by The Daily Digest

 

The Ukrainian news website Militarnyi reported that the image showed what appeared to be a Bulsae-4 spotted in an open area by an aerial reconnaissance drone. 

An anti-tank weapon

©The Daily Digest

 

The Bulsae-4 is a rather powerful self-propelled weapons system that can hit targets upwards of more than 10 kilometers or roughly 6.2 miles away and was only recently developed by North Korea. 

It’s a long-range system

©Provided by The Daily Digest

 

Militarnyi reported that details about North Korean weapons are often not accurate and noted that the Bulsae-4 could be able to hit targets as far away as 25 kilometers or 15.5 miles.