Ukrainian Unmanned Systems Forces (USF) have released new footage showing the destruction of a North Korean-made self-propelled artillery system on the Donetsk front.
According to a statement from the USF, operators from the 413th “Raid” Battalion identified and targeted a Russian-operated “Koksan” artillery platform. The engagement marks the fifth confirmed disabling of this specific artillery system by unmanned units in the last month alone.
“USF disable another North Korean Self-Propelled Gun,” the unit said in a post accompanying the video evidence. “Operators of the 413th ‘Raid’ Battalion of the Unmanned Systems Forces identified and struck an enemy M-1978 ‘Koksan’ self-propelled gun on the Donetsk front.”
The M1989 “Koksan,” originally developed by North Korea, is armed with a 170mm gun and is capable of firing shells up to 60 kilometers. It remains one of the longest-range conventional artillery pieces currently fielded by Russian forces.
USF disable another North Korean Self-Propelled Gun
Operators of the 413th “Raid” Battalion of the Unmanned Systems Forces identified and struck an enemy M-1978 “Koksan” self-propelled gun on the Donetsk front. This marks the fifth such system disabled by the USF units in the… pic.twitter.com/dncb43OQfe
— Unmanned Systems Forces (@usf_army) March 25, 2025
Ukrainian officials say the Russian military has increasingly relied on foreign-supplied artillery, including North Korean systems, amid shortages of standard barrel artillery. Since the start of the full-scale invasion, Ukraine claims to have destroyed more than 25,000 enemy artillery units.
The M1978 and its upgraded variant, the M1989, have been observed on the battlefield in recent months. Ukrainian forces reportedly struck their first M1989 Koksan in December 2025 in Luhansk, using a drone bomber during a nighttime operation.
In a recent separate operation, drone operators from Ukraine’s 14th Separate Special Purpose Regiment helped coordinate artillery strikes that destroyed three additional Koksan platforms.
The targeting and elimination of long-range systems like the Koksan highlight the growing role of unmanned systems in Ukraine’s battlefield strategy, especially in contested areas like Donetsk.