War blogger lists deficiencies
Russians dissatisfied with ammunition from North Korea
December 9, 2023, 10:18 p.m
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In the war against Ukraine, Russia is also using ammunition from North Korea. But at the front, people are apparently dissatisfied with the quality. A Russian war blogger examines several of the grenades – with astonishing results.
According to a media report, complaints about quality defects in artillery shells from North Korea are increasing among Russian soldiers in Ukraine. This is reported by the Ukrainian military portal “Defense News” and refers to the Russian war blog “Only forward“, who says he randomly analyzed five North Korean propellants for 152 millimeter projectiles and published photos of them online.
According to the investigation, some propellant charges were missing the usual lead wire, which is supposed to reduce copper deposits. There are also “obvious differences in the color of the propellant powders, which indirectly indicates a difference in the quality of combustion.” The amount of propellant powder also varies, according to the Telegram page.
“The lack of lead wires in the charges increases pipe wear,” comments “Defense News” on the results of the investigation. The reason for this is North Korea’s desolate planned economy, which is why the workers steal the lead wires from the factories. The use of different propellant powders in North Korean ammunition can be explained by the country’s isolation. It forces Pyongyang to use whatever manufacturing components it can find, which ultimately reduces the quality of the grenades.
“Defense News” also refers to the statements of Russian artillerymen who criticize the “systematic spread in the range” of the grenades. This leads to more ammunition being used, writes the portal. The greater consumption of ammunition also means a longer operational time, which increases the risk of return fire from Ukrainian artillery. In addition, higher ammunition consumption accelerates the wear and tear of the gun, which affects precision even more.