The Type 73 weapons, which were phased out by the North Korean military in recent years, have been spotted in Ukraine.
The Ukrainian defense publication Militarnyi reported that Russian forces began using Type 73 North Korean machine guns on the Ukrainian battlefield, marking the first documented use of small arms by Russian troops.
Voevoda Veshchaet on Telegram (Russian propaganda channel) released the first photos of the weapons in November 2024. Analysts suggest that they may have been intended for North Korean contingents who had recently been deployed within Russian units into the combat zone.
Militarnyi questions Russia‘s rationale for adopting these weapons, considering the country’s production of machine guns at home and its vast stockpiles from the Soviet era PKM and PK model. The move is likely a result of recent agreements between Russia, North Korea and the United States for weapons procurement. It’s not a desperate move on Moscow’s part.
Defense Express, however, suggests that the machine guns were actually supplied via Iran. This indicates Russia’s reliance upon a different strategic partner.
The Type 73 was used by many groups in the Middle East, including in conflicts in Iran and Yemen.
Defense Express reports that the North Korean military is replacing the Type-73 machine guns with the Type-80. This could be a reason for Pyongyang donating the machine guns.
It doesn’t matter where these machine guns are from, they show how Russia relies on non-traditional weapons and new strategic partners to provide frontline weapons.
Related:
New research estimates North Korean weapons supplies to Russia at $5.5 Billion
Former US diplomat warns that Russia’s gamble on North Korea sends a message to China: “We’ll be there for you.”
OSINT group estimates that North Korean weapons transfers to Russia totaled over 500,000 artillery shells in two months.
South Korean intelligence exposes North Korea’s secret weapons shipment to Russia
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