Could aid from North Korean help Russia win the war in Ukraine?

There aren't many world leaders who are willing to help Russian President Vladimir Putin. His invasion of Ukraine turned off more than a few of his "friends." But there is on leader who will likely always be by Putin's side and give him a hand when he can: North Korea's Kim Jong Un.

Video footage released in late July 2024 showed that Moscow could be employing a powerful North Korean anti-tank vehicle on the frontlines in Ukraine. If true, the weapon could be bad news for the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

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"The Bulsae-4 is a Non-Line of Sight (NLOS) anti-tank guided missile (ATGM) with an estimated range of over 10 kilometers. It appears broadly equivalent to the U.S. FGM-148 Javelin and Chinese HJ-12," wrote The Diplomat's A.B. Abrams.

Photo Credit: X @ArmoredWar

Several reports have indicated Moscow has deployed the North Korea Bulsae-4 to the frontlines in Ukraine based on an image published by the Telegram channel KUP(+18). 

Photo Credit: Telegram @KUPua01

The Ukrainian news website Militarnyi reported that the image showed what appeared to be a Bulsae-4 spotted in an open area by an aerial reconnaissance drone. 

The Bulsae-4 is a rather powerful self-propelled weapons system that can hit targets upwards of more than 10 kilometers or roughly 6.2 miles away and was only recently developed by North Korea. 

Photo Credit: Telegram: @KUPua01

Militarnyi reported that details about North Korean weapons are often not accurate and noted that the Bulsae-4 could be able to hit targets as far away as 25 kilometers or 15.5 miles. 

If the distances estimated by Militarnyi are true, it would mean the North Korean system could attack enemy armored targets from a distance that would keep the Bulsae-4 safe. 

Army Recognition reported that the Bulsae-4 “is part of North Korea's ongoing efforts to modernize its military technology” and improve the effectiveness of its infantry forces. 

The Bulsae-4 was publicly revealed by Pyongyang on state television in 2016, but it is not known how many of the missile systems have been manufactured by North Korea.

Real-time data transmission and precision targeting capabilities set the Bulsae-4 apart from other North Korean weapons systems, the vehicle also focuses heavily on soldier survivability. 

The Bulsae-4’s missiles are set up in a six-by-six configuration, and the missile system is equipped with eight launch containers according to reporting from Army Recognition. 

Photo Credit: Army Recognition Via North Korea

David Axe of Forbes reported that the Russian Bulsae-4 deployed to Ukraine was spotted near Vovchansk, a city that has been a main battleground of the Kremlin’s offensive into Kharkiv Oblast. 

The operator of the reconnaissance drone that found the Bulsae-4 reported it “managed to launch six rockets before leaving” according to a statement posted on his X account. 

“The Bulsae-4 is uniquely North Korean,” Axe explained, adding the system borrows its chassis from a North Korean version of the Russian BTR-80 armored personnel carrier. 

“For the Russians, the Bulsae-4 meets a growing need,” Axe wrote, reporting they are replacing the roughly 50 Shturm and Kornet tank destroyers lost since the war began.   

Photo Credit: Wiki Commons By VoidWanderer, Own Work, CC BY-SA 4.0

In June 2024, President Vladimir Putin traveled to Pyongyang to meet with Kim Jong-Un where the two signed a mutual defense pact, solidifying their growing close relationship. 

Whether or not the acquisition of the Bulsae-4 was discussed is unknown, but if Moscow is receiving the missile system from North Korea, it could mean other variants of the vehicle are also being sent to Russian forces. 

“We don’t know the details of Russia’s June security pact with North Korea. But it’s possible, even likely, that the terms include significant transfers of North Korean-made vehicles,” Axe wrote. 

Ukraine has not confirmed that the Bulsae-4 is being used in the country according to Defense Express, which reported the spokesperson of the Operational Tactical Group Vitalii Sarantsev said the weapon's appearance in the country could not be confirmed. 

If reports of the Bulsae-4's arrival in Ukraine do prove true, it could mean Moscow has found a way to close its anti-tank missile gap with Ukraine according to The Diplomat. Moreover, the weapon's arrival on foreign battlefields could signal a bigger problem for the world. 

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"The implications of this acquisition are significant not only for the frontlines in Ukraine, but also for what it reveals regarding North Korea’s defense sector and its future both as a supplier to the Korean People’s Army and as a major exporter," the Diplomat's A.B. Abrams explained.