Drone pilots struck a North Korean Koksan self-propelled howitzer in Luhansk Oblast, hitting the rare 170mm artillery system three times while it shelled the Kupiansk direction in northeastern Ukraine's Kharkiv Oblast, according to Ukraine's Unmanned Systems Forces.
The strike adds to a growing list of confirmed Koksan losses since these Cold War-era guns first appeared on the front in a year ago.
Achilles Brigade detects Koksan by its heat signature
The report, published on 16 February, noted that drone operators from the 429th Achilles Brigade detected the artillery system in the occupied territory of Luhansk Oblast. The howitzer's barrel still radiated heat from recent firing toward Kupiansk at the moment of detection. Reconnaissance drone thermal footage clearly shows the hot barrel. After confirming coordinates and tracking the target, the brigade's pilots struck it three times with FPV drones.
The Unmanned Systems Forces identified the target as a Koksan — a North Korean 170mm long-range self-propelled gun. North Korea transferred these systems to Russian forces in late 2024 and early 2025 to compensate for Russia's artillery losses.
What is the Koksan
The M-1978/M-1989 Koksan is a North Korean self-propelled howitzer developed in the 1970s. Its name comes from the city where Western intelligence first spotted it. North Korea originally designed the gun to target Seoul from across the Demilitarized Zone. It can hit targets up to approximately 40 km with conventional shells and 50–60 km with rocket-assisted projectiles. The system sits on a tracked chassis, features an open gun mount, and carries limited onboard ammunition — requiring a separate supply vehicle.
North Korea, Russia's main artillery ammunition supplier, transferred various artillery systems to Russian forces, including up to 200 M-1978 Koksan self-propelled howitzers. Trains transporting North Korean M-1989 systems moved through Russia in November and December 2024. By January 2025, the first units appeared directly at the front.
Koksan losses mount despite limited tracking
Ukraine first confirmed destroying a Koksan in Luhansk Oblast in February 2025. The open-source loss tracker Oryx currently lists two visually confirmed Koksan losses. However, actual losses appear higher — in September 2025, drone footage showed four Koksan howitzers struck in a single operation in Zaporizhzhia and Luhansk oblasts.
Four North Korean Koksan howitzers destroyed by Ukrainian drones in Zaporizhzhia and Luhansk oblasts (video)
A March 2025 HIMARS strike in Kursk Oblast also reportedly hit three more Koksans, yet no footage was shared confirming the damage. The latest strike by the Achilles Brigade further adds to the tally.
