North Korean Rocket Systems Disguised as Civilian Trucks Spotted in Russian Kursk Region

North Korean 122mm multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS), disguised as civilian trucks, have been spotted in Russia’s Kursk region, according to Ukrainian activist Serhii Sternenko and Russian war correspondents on January 23.

These vehicles, appearing to be ordinary box and dump trucks, carry a hidden arsenal of 12 122-mm rocket tubes each, deployable through pop-up and slide-door roofs.

These systems were first showcased during a 2023 military parade in North Korea. Now, they have reportedly made their way into the Russian military.

A Russian war correspondent sarcastically commented on the presence of these systems, writing, “North Korean truck-based MLRS in the Kursk region. Came for a training exercise,” while sharing a video of the vehicles in Russia.

The disguise as civilian vehicles allows the MLRS to blend into non-military environments, making them harder to detect and target.

Earlier, the head of Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence Directorate reported that Russia received 148 KN-23 ballistic missiles from North Korea in 2024, which are actively being used to strike Ukrainian territory, with 150 more planned to be delivered in 2025.