The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation use guns of the 1950s with the DPRK shells-expert comments

The event is notable for analysts that it has become the second known case of using the M-46 gun with the army of the Russian Federation, which leads a rare 130mm caliber. Recently, a photo appeared in the open access, which shows that the Russian soldiers use for shooting from the M-46 caliber of 130 mm of AF-428m of North Korean production. The footage commented on June 28, Defense Express, noting some interesting moments.

The first thing experts drew attention to is the old specimens of artillery from the Russians. The mention that the Russian army was using the M-46 guns, made in the 1950s, has become the second in the last half years. It was noted that these guns were quite rare for the Russian army because of a specific caliber - at the beginning of 2022 they were not used at all, and according to the Directory The Military Balance 2023, at the storage bases in Russia could be up to 350 guns of this type.

"Obviously, the Rashists went to the reference of specific and rare M-46 because of the high losses on artillery in general, during the fighting against the Armed Forces," the observers write. However, to return these guns to the system, continued analysts, it was not easy because of problems with ammunition. The fact is that the 130 mm caliber is not standard for the Russian army, and probably the corresponding shells were not made series at the capacity of the Russian OPC.

Soviet reserves are also limited. Thus, the supply of 130 mm of DPRK shells could be the only solution to the problem with ammunition for the M-46. The North Korean Army also uses such tools and supplies could be organized to close the deficit.

This case, summarized, illustrates the nature of the "assistance" that Russia receives from North Korea - the Russians are important not only the gross volume of supply itself, but also at a conditionally alien expense to close their own problems about scarce categories of ammunition, which the Russian MIC itself does not produce. Earlier, we wrote about the military potential of the DPRK amid reporting the possibility of sending North Korean troops to Ukraine.