"NK Type 73 machine gun in Ukraine" Topic

It would be interesting to know how this weapon performs under battlefield conditions.

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Given everything I've read so far seems to suggest the NK soldiers are being reequipped with Russian gear it seems unlikely it will get an outing. But if its build quality is anything like the artillery ammo they've been providing to Russia, badly?

I read that the NK's were being rearmed with Russian stuff as well, so it did take me a little by surprise. Who knows? It may be relegated to second line troops.

Looks like Bren gun…

NK militia's seem to have an eclectic collection of kit. There are pictures sloshing about showing them with WWII era gear but no idea how current those images are.

Reporting from Ukraine, a pro Ukrainian channel on YouTube, says that these weapons were found in the Kursk region following a Russian thrust towards Malaya Loknya. He says that the Russian 810th Marine Brigade was the unit that made the attack and that it did so with about 15 BTRs (he didn't say which type, perhaps 80's?) carrying around 150 dismounts. He says that the dismounts were North Koreans and towards the end of his video he posted pictures of these machine guns. He didn't mention whether the corpses were North Korean or Russian, which is an interesting omission. He either didn't have that information or it was skipped over for reasons. However the fact these weapons were found suggests, at least to me, that either there were NK troops present using their own small arms OR that the NKs have been sending the Russians small arms and they are being used by Russian forces. Open source reporting suggests the former as there are thousands of NK troops reported to be in the region, BUT other open source reporting says that they are being equipped with Russian uniforms and small arms and are being assigned to existing Russian units. This is an interesting development to be sure!

Here's a link to the video:

YouTube link

Denys Davyov, another pro Ukrainian YouTuber, goes into a bit more detail about this action. It looks like an attempt to do a Thunder Run. Denys says they were BTR-82As and that many of the soldiers were riding on top. He makes no mention of North Korean troops though.

YouTube link

NK Type 93

It didn't surprise me the NORKs would be using some of their own equipment. As long as they are the same caliber as the Russians. IIRC most are …

It looks like an attempt to do a Thunder Run.

The US had some success with this tactic in Iraq, IIRC. It would be like a "Recon In Force". And if it meets with success, it could be easily exploited. E.g. using Blitzkrieg tactics to look for weakness in the enemies' front lines.

Or just a big Tank/Mech Raid. Roll in and just blow stuff up … roll back out … That works too …

they were BTR-82As and that many of the soldiers were riding on top.

Something we learned from the Vietnam Vets in our Mech units. Besides sandbagging the Hell of our M113s, inside and out. Sometimes the GIs would ride on the top around the top troop hatch. And only get back into the troop compartment if taking effective fire, etc.

As if inside, even with the sandbagged deck of the troop compartment. If the APC hit a big enough mine, booby trap[now IED], etc. you'd take losses inside the tight interior.

Maybe the Russians learned similar in A'stan and even early on in Ukraine. Also having been inside some of the Russian AFVs. E.g. the BTR-60s, inside was pretty damned cramped. Even by M113 standards.

Thunder Run sounds like something with too much thought behind it for what the Russians are doing. They are basically running men and machines at Ukrainian lines in the hope that some get through and the Ukrainians have to fall back a bit to hold the line – more mechanised Banzai charge!

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I suppose its probably not too surprising that NK troops may be using their own small arms – familiarity and all that.