Russian Artilleryman Complains about the Quality of North Korean D-74 Cannon

A Russian artilleryman confirmed the supply of D-74 trailed 122-mm cannons from North Korea and spoke about their advantages and disadvantages.

He shared this in an interview on the “Russian. Warrior” YouTube channel.

According to him, the D-74 is most similar to the Soviet 122-mm D-30 howitzer, but the Korean gun has a longer range of up to 24 km, while the D-30 has a range of about 19 km. Despite having the same caliber, the D-74’s projectile is equipped with a larger shell, which provides a longer range.

Another advantage of the system is the interchangeability of parts with Soviet guns, including the D-20, as well as the ability to purchase individual components even in ordinary auto shops. With the exception of the wheels, probably due to incompatibility with the North Korean hub.

However, there are plenty of drawbacks. The D-74 often fails due to poor manufacturing quality. An artilleryman compared the strength of the gun’s metal to “pressed rice.”

He gave examples of breakdowns: from the jack and wheel lifting mechanism to the barrel wedge. The military managed to fix all the malfunctions on their own.

He also told how their gun was detected and hit by a Ukrainian drone, the so-called Baba Yaga. The drone dropped several rounds of ammunition, after which the ammunition detonated near the D-74. The gun was burned, but the Russian military repaired it.