Russian-North Korean forces suffered heavy losses in the battle of Kursk

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky affirmed on the evening of January 4 that Russian and DPRK forces suffered heavy losses in fighting in Russia's Kursk province.

In a video address on the evening of January 4, President Zelensky cited a report from Ukrainian Army Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi saying that battles had taken place near the village of Makhnovka, near the Ukrainian border.

"In yesterday's and today's battles near the village of Makhnovka in the Kursk region, the Russian army lost up to a battalion of North Korean infantrymen and Russian paratroopers," Zelensky said.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky speaks while attending the European Union summit in Brussels, Belgium, December 19, 2024.

President Zelensky did not provide details on the losses. A battalion can vary in size but typically has hundreds of soldiers.

Last week, Mr. Zelensky cited heavy losses suffered by North Korean soldiers at Kursk, saying their forces were not protected by Russian forces while fighting alongside each other. He asserted that North Korean soldiers took extreme measures to avoid being taken prisoner.

There is currently no information about the reaction of Russia or North Korea to President Zelensky's above statement.

Reuters cited Ukrainian and Western assessments that about 11,000 North Korean soldiers were deployed in Kursk province, where the Ukrainian army controlled some territory after conducting a massive border incursion in August 2024.

Also in a video speech on the evening of January 4, Mr. Zelensky said that "fierce battles" had taken place along the entire 1,000 km long front line, with the most difficult situation near the city of Pokrovsk in Donetsk province in eastern Ukraine, according to Reuters.

Mr Zelensky also said that Russian forces "continue to mobilize a large number of their personnel in attacks".

A Ukrainian military spokesman earlier said Pokrovsk remained the “hottest” frontline area, with Russian forces launching new attacks near Pokrovsk in an attempt to overtake the city from the south and cut off supply routes to Ukrainian troops, according to Reuters.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/tong-thong-ukraine-luc-luong-nga-trieu-tien-ton-that-nang-trong-tran-chien-o-kursk-185250105074350251.htm