U.S. officials told Bloomberg on Dec. 27 that they believe Ukraine may only have a few months left in its incursion into Kursk Oblast until Ukraine's military is forced to retreat from the region or risk being encircled by Russian forces.
The year 2024 was brutal for Ukraine. Last winter saw the fall of Avdiivka when, after several months of brutal fighting, the Russian army captured the city leveled to the ground. Ukraine struggled to hold the front line with limited resources as political infighting in the U.S. Congress had
The confirmation followed a report from Ukraine's military-focused news outlet Militarnyi on Dec. 26, which first revealed the capture without specifying the date of the incident.
Key developments on Dec. 26: * Ukraine hits ballistic missile propellant plant in Rostov Oblast, Stratcom reports * North Korean troops in Kursk Oblast endure heavy losses, logistical struggles, Ukrainian military intelligence says * 18 Russian soldiers allegedly killed in Ukraine's Dec. 25 attack in Kursk Oblast, military says * 'Increase in enemy activity'
Ukrainian troops reportedly hit the command post of Russia's 810th Separate Marine Brigade in the town of Lgov in Kursk Oblast overnight on Dec. 25.
North Korean troops deployed in Russia’s Kursk Oblast continue to suffer significant losses, Ukraine's military intelligence (HUR) reported on Dec. 26.
Key developments on Dec. 25: * Russian air defense missile may have downed Azerbaijani plane, media say * Russia terrorizes Ukraine with mass missile, drone attack against energy grid on Christmas morning * Ukrainian drones destroy Russian ammunition depot in Rostov Oblast, SBU source claims * Ukraine approves homemade Shchedryk aerial vehicle for military
"This fire strike is part of a comprehensive campaign to weaken the ability of the Russian Armed Forces to coordinate military operations against the people of Ukraine," Ukraine's Center for Strategic Communications said.
Key developments on Dec. 23: * Over 3,000 North Korean troops killed, wounded in Kursk Oblast, Zelensky says * Satellite imagery suggests North Korea to supply more arms to Russia, WSJ reports * 'Mysterious' fire engulfs Russian Shahed warehouse, Ukrainian intelligence claims * First Ukrainian Legion unit trained in Poland deployed to Ukraine,
The entire year 2024 saw Ukrainian troops on the back foot, losing territory to the advancing Russian troops in northeastern Kharkiv Oblast and eastern Donetsk Oblast. Russia captured Avdiivka — an industrial city in Donetsk Oblast — in February, kickstarting Moscow's offensives all across the region. Taking advantage of a poorly conducted
While some Western officials initially viewed the arrival of North Korean soldiers in Russia as evidence of the Kremlin’s desperation, U.S. agencies now reportedly believe the idea was North Korea’s initiative, quickly embraced by Russian President Vladimir Putin.
This estimation, coming from Ukraine's intelligence, is a significant increase from other recent reports about the North Korean casualties.
Ukraine’s Special Operations Forces reported on Dec. 19 that they had killed 12 North Korean soldiers and injured 20 others, preventing their advance in Russia's Kursk Oblast.
North Korean troops fighting in Kursk Oblast are especially vulnerable to drones but still managed to help Moscow advance a few kilometers in the partially Ukrainian-occupied region in southwest Russia, according to Western military experts analyzing open-source data. The assessment of drone vulnerability differs from an on-the-ground testimony obtained by
Key developments on Dec. 18: * 'Couple hundred' North Korean troops lost fighting for Russia against Ukraine, AP reports * Sweden 'does not exclude' more direct physical presence in Ukraine to bolster defense * Russia detains two suspects over assassination of General Igor Kirillov, Kremlin media reports * Peace talks with Russia only possible
“It was at the start of the Ukrainian Armed Forces’ military operation in Kursk Oblast. I believe the Kursk operation provided strong arguments in favor of Ukraine,” Ukrainian Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets said.
In the call, a nurse at a Moscow hospital tells her husband, a soldier fighting in Kursk Oblast, that wounded fighters are being brought in by the trainload.
A senior U.S. military official did not give an exact figure but said the high casualty rate was in part due to the soldiers' lack of battle experience.
"For the third day, Russian forces have been conducting intensive offensive operations in Kursk Oblast, actively using North Korean units," Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said.
"Russia is not only involving North Korean soldiers in assaults on Ukrainian positions, but is also trying to hide the losses of these people," President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Dec. 16.
North Korean losses have to be replenished by fresh soldiers from North Korea's 94th Separate Brigade, HUR claimed.
North Korean units have sustained "noticeable losses" alongside Russian troops in Kursk Oblast, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Dec. 14.
The court convicted the soldiers on terrorism charges, accusing them of "opening fire to kill both Russian servicemen and civilians." Russia often uses trumped-up charges to jail captured Ukrainian soldiers, activists, journalists, and regular civilians for lengthy terms.
Key developments on Dec. 6: * Zelensky unveils new Ukrainian new missile-drone — 'Peklo' * Crimean Bridge closed after reported Ukrainian drone strikes on Kerch * Ukrainian partisans sabotage railway line linking Moscow to Kursk Oblast, group claims * Estonian company to test AI-guided anti-drone missiles in Ukraine, CEO says * Putin replaces Kursk Oblast governor
Verstka cited claims that Alexei Smirnov’s handling of defensive structures along the Ukrainian border contributed to his dismissal.
An Atesh operative burned down a relay cabinet near the village of Chekhov in Moscow Oblast, disrupting Russian supply lines, the group alleged.
North Korean soldiers have been stationed at observation posts and checkpoints in Russia's Kursk Oblast as a "second echelon" not involved in direct combat, the Ukrainian military-run National Resistance Center reported on Dec. 4.
Editor’s note: Ukrainian soldiers featured in this story are identified by first name only since they spoke without authorization from their command. Nearly four months after Kyiv launched a surprise cross-border incursion into Russia’s Kursk Oblast, some Ukrainian soldiers are increasingly pessimistic about the costly operation. “Aviation is
Some of the North Korean soldiers deployed to fight for Russia have already been killed, President Volodymyr Zelensky said in an interview with Kyodo News on Dec. 1 without revealing their numbers.
This surpasses the previous record of 1,950 set on Nov. 12. The total figure stands at 738,660.
Key developments on Nov. 26: * Russia launches record 188 drones against Ukraine overnight, Air Force says * Russian Defense Ministry admits that Ukraine hit airbase in Kursk Oblast with ATACMS * Russia's advance in Ukraine fastest since early 2022, analysts claim * Russian soldiers suspected of executing 5 Ukrainian POWs near Pokrovsk * UK
The Russian Defense Ministry's statement is the first public confirmation of the attacks by Moscow, following multiple reports of strikes after Washington permitted Ukraine to use its ATACMS missiles to strike against targets on Russian soil.
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