The images released this week by the Ukrainian journalist specialized in Defense Yuriy Butusov have shaken the international scene: for the first time, the visually confirmed the Use of multiple northoreans of 240 mm by the Russian army in the Ukraine conflict. This discovery raises serious questions about the real scope of military cooperation between Moscow and Pyongyang, and its impact on the evolution of war.
The system shown in the video, according to military analyst Joost Oliemans, corresponds to a modernized version of the M1991 model of North Korea. It is a type of mlrs (multiple launch rock system) with the capacity to launch 240 mm rockets, based on the Soviet design of the BM-27 Uragan but with significant improvements. According to Oliemans, this new version has a range of up to 67 kilometers and allows precision attacks, which represents considerable technical advance with respect to previous models.
According to the Information collected by Ukrainian mediaRussia would have already received at least 120 units of these rocket systems, and it is speculated that another 120 could arrive in the coming months. The Ukrainian authorities had already alerted in December 2024 about the first shipments of this type of weapons from North Korea to Russian territory. Now, the appearance of these weapons on the battlefield confirms what until recently were only suspicions supported by military intelligence.
The Images also show rockets of this caliber Stored in Russian deposits, which suggests that the system is being integrated operationally in the Southern Front of Ukraine, possibly in the Crimea region. The video even shows a recharge vehicle of these systems being transported in that area, which reinforces the hypotheses about its active deployment.
Agreement between Moscow and Pyongyang
Although Moscow and Pyongyang have denied direct collaboration In the conflict, both signed a mutual defense agreement in June 2024, ratified in November. Since then, they have intensified their contacts, and various sources say that North Korea has sent not only weapons, but also thousands of troops in support of Russia, in exchange for economic benefits estimated at 20,000 million dollars.
The Direct involvement of North Korea It represents a new dimension in the Ukraine War, with deep geopolitical implications. The presence of these launches could change the balance of power on the battlefield, and at the same time, open a new voltage front with the West, especially with the United States, which has repeatedly warned about the consequences of an arms alliance between Moscow and Pyongyang.
This development not only expands Russia’s Arsenal, but also even more internationalizes a conflict that, three years after its beginning, continues to climb in global complexity and scope.