On May 7, 2025, the Vodohrai magazine published video of the use of North Korean M-1991 240 mm multiple launch rocket system in Ukraine. This represents the first publicly documented appearance of Pyongyang's legacy artillery on Ukrainian soil and a worrying sign of Moscow's growing reliance on foreign-supplied weapons.
According to the Vodohrai magazine, photographic evidence shows at least one M-1991 launcher whose tubes and guidance assemblies have been reinforced with additional armor plating, likely intended to protect the crew and vital mechanics from counter-battery fire and drone-delivered munitions. Field upgrades of this kind underscore how russia is rapidly adapting old hardware for continued frontline use.
Read more: First Video of North Korean M1991 MLRS in russian Service, Outfitted with Anti-Drone Protection
Perhaps most telling is the bold Sever Joint Grouping of Forces insignia emblazoned on the vehicle's cab door. This emblem identifies the system's operator as a formation of russia's Leningrad Military District, indicating that North Korean rockets are already being integrated into regular russian artillery units rather than deployed solely by ad-hoc proxy elements.
While the M-1991 system dates back to the early 1990s, its 240 mm rockets still pack a powerful punch, each salvo can saturate an area of up to half a square kilometer, inflicting devastating damage on infantry positions, supply depots, and light fortifications.
As Defense Express previously reported, new footage has confirmed that russian forces are operating North Korean M1991 multiple launch rocket system.
Military journalist Yurii Butusov highlighted a video showing the M1991 system inside what appears to be a hangar, where russian troops are seen fitting the launcher with improvised anti-drone protection.
Read more: North Korean Koksan Guns and M1991 MLRS Support Vehicles Were Spotted on Military Train in Crimea (Photo)
