---

Despite U.S. efforts to bring the war to an end, the Ukrainian front remains ablaze, as North Korea continues to support Russia with both troops and equipment.

Ukraine’s head of military intelligence, General Kyrylo Budanov, revealed that Pyongyang is preparing to dispatch between 50 and 100 combat vehicles with their crews to bolster Russia’s war effort, including the “Chonma-2” main battle tank and the BTR-80 armored personnel carrier.

• Threat to the U.S. and East Asia: Discovery of a Ballistic Missile Base in North Korea

• North Korea Vanishes from the Internet for Hours… Outage Severs Its Last Digital Ties

While North Korea has previously supplied Russia with a wide array of systems — from ballistic missile launchers to anti-tank vehicles, air defense systems, and troop carriers — the export of the “Chonma-2” represents a significant escalation in its direct involvement in the conflict, according to Military Watch magazine.

The deployment of domestically built North Korean tanks, accompanied by their crews, is described as unprecedented. Budanov noted that the move would provide North Korea’s army with broad operational experience in modern warfare.

• Unidentified Ballistic Missile: North Korea Launches New Missile Toward the Sea of Japan

• For the First Time North Korea Acknowledges Deployment of Troops in Russia

He further stressed that only three countries currently possess such operational knowledge in a conflict where nearly every form of military power is employed: Russia, Ukraine, and North Korea.

Until the early 2010s, North Korean tank designs were considered far behind modern standards. The entry of the “Chonma-2” into service, however, marked a turning point in the country’s defense sector, showcasing major advancements in military production.

The tank is expected to hold a clear edge over most of the armored vehicles deployed by both sides in Ukraine, thanks to its active protection system — a technology absent in Ukrainian tanks and only introduced into a handful of Russian models by late 2024.

• For the First Time… Russia Reveals the Role of North Korean Soldiers in the Ukraine War

• Trump on Two Fronts: A Near Truce in Ukraine and Rapprochement with North Korea

This system uses radar to continuously monitor the surrounding environment. Upon detecting incoming projectiles, it tracks and calculates their trajectory before launching counter-munitions to destroy them mid-air. The system first appeared in footage released in July 2023, signaling an unexpected leap in North Korea’s technological capabilities.

The “Chonma-2” will be the only tank in Ukraine fully designed after the Cold War, whereas Russian, Ukrainian, and even NATO tanks are essentially upgraded versions of Cold War-era models.

It also features an advanced fire-control system, including a digital display and control buttons akin to a battlefield management interface, with highly sophisticated geolocation capabilities rarely seen worldwide.

• North Korean Leader Calls for Building a ‘Modern Army’ Ready for War

• Peace or Confrontation… North Korea’s Missile Messages to America

Its confirmed armament consists of three types of munitions: armor-piercing fin-stabilized discarding sabot rounds, high-explosive anti-tank shells, and high-explosive fragmentation rounds.

Overall, the “Chonma-2” stands out as one of the most capable main battle tanks deployed in Ukraine. Yet, its ability to match Russia’s top-tier tanks, such as the T-90M and the T-80BVM, remains uncertain.

There are, however, multiple indicators suggesting that its more modern design may give it an advantage in certain aspects over its Russian counterparts, as North Korean weaponry has often outperformed Russian systems in past trials.

• Will Trump Recognize North Korea as a “Nuclear Power”?

• New North Korean Escalation: Kim’s Message from Inside a Nuclear Facility

If Pyongyang manages to mass-produce these tanks, Moscow could request additional units to reinforce its forces, especially given that its tank losses far exceed its current replenishment capacity — a situation that has already severely depleted its stockpiles of aging Soviet-era armor.

Such exports could provide a major boost to North Korea’s tank industry, generating significant revenues while attracting potential buyers from other parts of the world.

• In “Star Wars”… Seoul Prepares for North Korean Drone Marches

• Western Weapons Flow to Ukraine… and Russia Responds via North Korea

• The game of absence… where did the North Korean leader disappear?