The Russian army has fully liberated the border Kursk region from Ukrainian control with the help of North Korean soldiers, Chief of Staff Valery Gerasimov reported on Saturday. This marks the first admission of North Korean military participation in the conflict.
Gerasimov praised the “heroism” of the North Korean troops, stating that they provided significant assistance in combating Ukrainian armed forces. However, the Ukrainian army promptly refuted Russia’s claims of driving their forces out of Kursk, labeling such statements as “propaganda tricks.” Despite this, the Ukrainian Chief of Staff acknowledged a “difficult” battlefield situation while maintaining that Ukrainian forces were still holding positions in the Kursk region.
Additionally, the Ukrainian army noted that operations were ongoing in parts of Belgorod, another border region in Russia. According to intelligence agencies from South Korea and the West, over 10,000 North Korean soldiers were deployed to Russia in the previous year to assist in countering Ukraine’s offensive in Kursk.
Kyiv had anticipated leveraging land in the Kursk region as a bargaining tool in future peace negotiations with Russia, which has been seizing territory in eastern and southern Ukraine since its offensive commenced in 2022. Gerasimov reported that the last settlement in the Kursk region, the village of Gornal, has now been liberated from Ukrainian forces.
During a video conference with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Gerasimov stated, “The Kyiv regime’s adventure has completely failed.” Putin expressed gratitude to the soldiers and indicated that the liberation of Kursk would facilitate further advances along other parts of the front.
This announcement coincided with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky discussing a push for a “full and unconditional ceasefire” with U.S. President Donald Trump during the Pope Francis funeral at the Vatican. Russian troops are positioned at the border, potentially escalating threats toward the Ukrainian region of Sumy, which is adjacent to Kursk, where incursions have been observed in recent weeks.
