Photos have appeared on social media indicating that the russian occupation forces have received North Korean-made Type 73 machine guns, which were produced in the 1970s.
This news seems strange given that the North Korean units that will fight on the side of the russian army against the Defense Forces of Ukraine have received russian-made heavy infantry weapons.
Read more: The UK Defense Intelligence Reveals How Will North Korean Deployment Affect russia’s War Strategy in Ukraine
To start, we should take a closer look at the features of the North Korean Type 73 machine gun. It is believed that the DPRK designed these machine guns based on the Soviet PKM, but they also feature a design element characteristic of the Czechoslovakian Vz.52 machine gun — the option to attach a box magazine.
Even for the DPRK, the Type 73 machine gun can be considered outdated, as it was replaced by the newer Type 82 model in the 1980s. It, in turn, is a literal copy of the Soviet PKM.
It is known that the Type 73 has been actively sold for export, particularly to the Middle East. On social media, there are claims that such machine guns were used by pro-Iranian units in Syria.
It is likely that russians received the Type 73 machine guns not directly from North Korea, but from Iran.
It is known that the Type 73 uses the 7.62×54 mmR cartridges. Its rate of fire is 600-700 rounds per minute, and the weight of the machine gun is 10.6 kilograms.
The use of North Korean Type 73 machine guns likely suggests that the russian occupation forces may be starting to face issues with their small arms stockpiles.
Earlier Defense Express reported that russia had trained North Korean officers and soldiers in UAV usage.
Read more: How Much Will russia Pay North Korean Soldiers to Fight in the War? – Intelligence Reports Unveil Details
