Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced significant losses for Russian and North Korean troops in the Kursk region, where fierce battles have raged since Ukraine launched a surprise incursion in August. The fighting underscores the intensifying complexity of the nearly three-year conflict, as Kyiv battles Moscow's forces on multiple fronts.
In his nightly address, Zelenskyy cited reports from top Ukrainian commander Oleksandr Syrskyi detailing clashes near the village of Makhnovka, located close to the Ukrainian border. "In battles yesterday and today near just one village, Makhnovka, in Kursk region, the Russian army lost up to a battalion of North Korean infantry soldiers and Russian paratroops," Zelenskyy said. "This is significant."
A battalion typically consists of several hundred soldiers, highlighting the scale of the losses. Reuters has not independently verified these claims.
Since their August incursion into Kursk, Ukrainian forces have sought to retain positions in the region, viewing it as a potential bargaining chip in any future negotiations with Moscow. The conflict has increasingly drawn on foreign participants, with North Korean troops bolstering Russian forces. Western and Ukrainian intelligence estimate approximately 11,000 North Korean soldiers are stationed in Kursk.
Zelenskyy has previously condemned North Korea's involvement in the conflict and called on neighboring China to exert influence over Pyongyang to prevent further troop deployments. "The Korean people should not lose their people in battles in Europe," Zelenskyy said. "If China is sincere in its statements that the war should not expand, appropriate influence on Pyongyang is necessary."
Meanwhile, Zelenskyy reported that fighting continues along the extensive 1,000-kilometer frontline, with the city of Pokrovsk emerging as a critical flashpoint. Ukrainian officials described Pokrovsk as the "hottest" sector, with Russian forces attempting to encircle the city and cut off vital supply lines.
As the fighting escalates, Russia has also faced setbacks on other fronts. In the northeastern Sumy region, a Russian guided-bomb attack injured 10 people, including two children. Ukrainian President Zelenskyy shared video footage of the aftermath, showing rescue teams pulling residents from the rubble of a destroyed building in the village of Svesa. "An entire block of the building, from the ground to the fifth floors, was destroyed," Zelenskyy said.
Russia's deployment of guided bombs has added a new layer of devastation, with strikes reported in multiple villages across Sumy and Kharkiv regions. These weapons, equipped with satellite-aided navigation for extended range and precision, have become a frequent tactic used by Moscow to evade Ukrainian air defenses.
On another front, Moscow accused Ukraine of firing U.S.-supplied ATACMS missiles at the Belgorod region, a move that has drawn the Kremlin's ire. The Russian Ministry of Defense vowed retaliation, describing the use of the long-range missiles as a "grave escalation." All eight missiles were reportedly intercepted, according to Russian authorities.
Kyiv's deployment of ATACMS missiles, authorized by outgoing U.S. President Joe Biden, marks a significant enhancement in Ukraine's military capabilities. The missiles, with a range of up to 300 kilometers, have been a source of contention, with Russian President Vladimir Putin threatening to strike Kyiv in retaliation.
