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Ukraine holds off nearly 50,000 Russian troops in Kursk Oblast, Zelensky says

• 1 min read
Ukraine holds off nearly 50,000 Russian troops in Kursk Oblast, Zelensky says
A checkpoint with Ukrainian military personnel in the town of Sudzha in Kursk Oblast, Russia, on Aug. 16, 2024. (Kostiantyn Liberov/Libkos/Getty Images)

Ukrainian soldiers are holding off nearly 50,000 troops in Russia's embattled Kursk Oblast, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Nov. 11.

Zelensky's statement came a day after The New York Times reported that Moscow is preparing to launch an offensive in Kursk Oblast with a force of 50,000 soldiers, both Russian and North Korean.

Russia has also deployed thousands of North Korean troops in the embattled region, with some reportedly already clashing with Ukraine in small-scale engagements. Around 11,000 North Korean soldiers were stationed in Kursk Oblast as of Nov. 4.

Kyiv launched the surprise offensive into Kursk Oblast in August, with Russian forces have managed to reclaim around half of the territory initially lost.

The Kursk incursion was also intended to preempt a Russian plan to invade Sumy Oblast to create a "buffer zone" in Ukraine's north and draw Russian forces away from Donetsk Oblast, where Moscow keeps steadily advancing, the Ukrainian military said.

According to Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi, Russian forces have suffered 7,905 soldiers killed, 12,220 injured, and 717 captured during the three months of the Kursk offensive.

Zelensky has previously said that if Ukraine had permission to use Western long-range weapons against targets deep inside Russia, it could preemptively target "every camp" in Russia where North Korean troops are gathering.

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Kateryna Denisova

Politics Reporter

Kateryna Denisova is the reporter for the Kyiv Independent, specializing in Ukrainian politics. Based in Kyiv, she focuses on domestic affairs, parliament, social and war-related issues. Kateryna began her career in journalism in 2020 and holds a bachelor's degree in journalism from Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv. She also studied at journalism schools in the Czech Republic and Germany.

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The latest announcement comes as Kyiv experienced widespread power outages on Oct. 8 following a Russian attack on Ukrainian energy infrastructure. Over 3 million residents in the capital lost power in what officials described as "an attack on one of the energy facilities important for the city of Kyiv."

The railway operator initially reported that the passenger train's driver suffered a leg injury and four passengers required medical attention. The crew of the electric locomotive was unharmed.

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"The government looks forward to the smooth resolution of all pending issues between the two countries and will continue consultations with the Ukrainian side to this end," the South Korean Foreign Ministry said in a press release.

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