Russian troops have started utilizing North Korean Type 73 7.62x54Rmm machine guns, marking the first recorded instance of such usage. The event was highlighted through photographs published on the Russian propaganda Telegram channel, Voevoda Vesti. The North Korean Type 73 machine guns are believed to have been introduced to supply the North Korean contingent recently deployed in the conflict zone. Sources from the Ukrainian Main Intelligence Directorate report that North Korean troops are equipped with Soviet- and Russian-made firearms alongside these machine guns. This development suggests a probable arms agreement between North Korea and Russia, prompting questions about Russia’s need for these arms despite possessing its arsenal of 6P41 Pecheneg and older Soviet-era machine guns.

The Type 73 stands out for its unique blend of Soviet PK, Czechoslovakian VZ. 52, and British Bren design elements. It was likely developed between the 1960s and 1970s, based on its design influences. The Type 73 has been distributed beyond the Korean peninsula, having been seen in the Iran-Iraq wars and among various factions in the Middle East and Africa. The weapon uses the rare 7.62x54R cartridge,

ملخص الأخبار

• استخدام مدافع رشاشة نوع 73 الكورية الشمالية لأول مرة من قبل القوات الروسية كان قد لوحظ بالفعل.
• الأسلحة من نوع 73 قد تم توزيعها على نطاق واسع خارج شبه الجزيرة الكورية وظهرت في حروب إيران والعراق وبين مجموعات في الشرق الأوسط.
• في عام 2017، اعترضت البحرية الفرنسية شحنة مهربة من مدافع نوع 73 كانت متجهة إلى الصومال.
• مدفع نوع 73 يستخدم ذخيرة نادرة من عيار 7.62x54R، والتي لا تُستخدم في أسلحة المشاة الأخرى في كوريا الشمالية.