Russian troops have started using North Korean Type 73 machine guns of 7.62x54R caliber, Russian Z-channels report and publish relevant photos.
As Militarnyi writes, this is the first case of recorded use by Russian forces of small arms manufactured in North Korea.
There is speculation that the Type 73 machine guns are intended to support the North Korean contingent, which was probably deployed to the front, or to familiarize the Russian military with allied weaponry.
However, according to the General Directorate of Intelligence, the arsenal of the DPRK troops consists mainly of Soviet and Russian weapons.
The use of North Korean weaponry may be indicative of agreements between the DPRK and Russia under which Moscow has committed to purchase North Korean weapons.