Allegations have surfaced that North Korea has supplied Russia with missile systems disguised as civilian trucks, which are reportedly deployed in the Kursk battlefield. Ukrainian war correspondent Andriy Tsaplienko shared video evidence of the concealed rocket systems on his Telegram social media account on January 23.
According to Tsaplienko, North Korea provided Russia with several missile launch systems hidden within civilian vehicles, which have been placed in the Kursk region. These systems are designed to appear as standard trucks, making them difficult to identify and target.
As reported by Radio Free Asia (RFA) on January 23, the weapons systems include 122mm multiple rocket launchers concealed inside standard shipping container vehicles. The launchers are operated by raising the launch tubes for firing and then closing the container lid immediately afterward, allowing the vehicle to blend back into civilian surroundings.
Experts note that this process takes only a few minutes, complicating efforts to distinguish them from legitimate civilian vehicles.
South Korean military expert Lee Il-woo of the Korea Defense Network explained to RFA that the disguised systems are deliberately designed to create confusion between military targets and civilian vehicles.
“The size of these systems is nearly identical to a standard 40-foot container. By changing the exterior paint, it becomes almost impossible to distinguish whether it is a missile launcher or a regular container. This forces attackers to hesitate before striking, as targeting civilian vehicles would constitute a war crime under international law,” Lee said.
Lee also highlighted that such container-based missile and rocket systems are becoming increasingly common worldwide.
“Russia, China, and Iran have developed similar systems, and the United States recently deployed a new missile system, MRC, to both the Army and Navy. These disguised launch platforms are being adopted globally,” he added.
However, Lee questioned the effectiveness of the disguised systems in the current conflict, citing the heightened use of Ukrainian reconnaissance drones on the battlefield. These drones make it more likely for such disguised systems to be detected.
There are also concerns that Russia could exploit similar container designs to provoke war crimes by deliberately placing them on the battlefield to trick adversaries into targeting civilian-looking vehicles. This potential for confusion and manipulation raises ethical and legal concerns in the ongoing conflict.
BY YOUNGNAM KIM [kim.youngnam@koreadaily.com]
