Ukrainian forces have killed, injured, or captured 17,819 Russian soldiers in Kursk Oblast since the first days of Kyiv's incursion, Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi claimed on Oct. 25.
According to the general, a total of 6,662 Russian troops have been killed, 10,446 wounded, and 711 captured since Aug. 8.
Ukraine launched its cross-border incursion into Kursk Oblast on Aug. 6, claiming to initially seize some 1,300 square kilometers (500 square miles) but recently facing mounting pressure as Russia pulls in reinforcements.
Syrskyi refuted Russian President Vladimir Putin's claims made during the BRICS summit in Kazan on Oct. 24 that about 2,000 Ukrainian troops were cut off in Kursk Oblast.
"This is outright disinformation that does not reflect the real situation," Syrskyi said.
"Ukrainian troops continue active operations in the Kursk direction, destroying the enemy's combat potential for the third month in a row."
The Kyiv Independent could not verify these claims.
The reports came days after the first North Korean soldiers had been reportedly deployed alongside Russian forces on the front line in Kursk Oblast. North Korea has sent nearly 12,000 troops to Russia, including 500 officers and three generals, Ukraine's military intelligence (HUR) said.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Russia was planning to send first North Korean soldiers to a combat zone on Oct. 27-28.
James Beardsworth
