KYIV, Ukraine — North Korean forces are reportedly experiencing substantial casualties and logistical challenges in the ongoing conflict in the Kursk region of Russia, according to Ukraine’s military intelligence, which released a statement on Thursday.
The intelligence agency, known as GUR, indicated that recent Ukrainian strikes near Novoivanovka had inflicted significant losses on North Korean units. These troops are also facing issues with supplies and are experiencing severe shortages of drinking water.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy mentioned earlier this week that around 3,000 North Korean soldiers have been either killed or injured in the skirmishes within the Kursk area. This estimate represents the first major acknowledgment from Ukraine regarding North Korean casualties, following earlier reports that indicated North Korea had dispatched between 10,000 and 12,000 troops to Russia to assist in the protracted conflict, now nearing three years.
This revelation regarding casualties arrived at a time when the Biden administration is making efforts to deliver significant military support to Ukraine before the potential transition to a new administration in January, headed by President-elect Donald Trump.
Ukrainian forces initiated an incursion into the Kursk region in August, which dealt a severe blow to Russia’s image and prompted the reassignment of some of its troops from the eastern front, where they were engaged in a sluggish offensive.
While the Russian military has managed to regain some territory in the Kursk region, it has not succeeded in completely driving out Ukrainian forces.
Simultaneously, Russia has employed relentless waves of cruise missile and drone strikes to weaken Ukraine’s defenses, directly targeting its power infrastructure. On Christmas morning, Russian forces executed an assault utilizing 78 missiles and 106 drones, impacting various electrical facilities. The Ukrainian air force claimed to have intercepted numerous projectiles, thwarting 59 missiles and 54 drones, as well as jamming 52 others.
More recently, on Thursday, Ukrainian defenses reported that Russia deployed 31 exploding drones, managing to shoot down 20 of them, while 11 did not reach their targets due to electronic jamming efforts.
Amidst the persistent assault, Russian forces struck a central marketplace in Nikopol located in the Dnipropetrovsk region, resulting in injuries to eight individuals, as local officials reported.
In a corresponding development, Russian President Vladimir Putin issued a warning that Russia could re-engage Ukraine using the newly developed Oreshnik hypersonic ballistic missile, which was initially deployed during an attack on the Ukrainian city of Dnipro on November 21. Putin stated that although Russia possesses only a limited number of these missiles at present, it would not hesitate to utilize them if necessary.
“We’re not in a hurry to employ them, as they are powerful weapons designed for specific missions,” he commented. “However, their use could be considered today or tomorrow if deemed essential.”
Additionally, Putin confirmed that the serial production of the Oreshnik missile is underway and reiterated plans to station some of these weapons in Belarus, which is an ally of Russia. Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko mentioned that his country could accommodate the deployment of ten or more missiles.
In response to the ongoing hostilities, Ukraine has conducted drone strikes targeting assets within Russia. The Center for Strategic Communications in Ukraine reported that a military facility in Kamensk-Shakhtynsky, situated in Russia’s southern Rostov region, was targeted due to its role in producing propellant for ballistic missiles.
“This operation is part of a wider strategy aimed at diminishing the capabilities of the Russian armed forces to carry out attacks on Ukrainian civilians,” the agency declared in its communication.
