Ukrainian forces are suffering setbacks in the battlefields of Russia’s western Kursk region which they had invaded and conquered in August 2024. A critical Ukrainian supply line is on the verge of being cut off which could ultimately lead to them being encircled by the enemy.
The Russian army kept relentlessly attacking Ukrainian defence positions despite suffering casualties in large numbers. This yielded the results they wished for, recapturing slices of Kursk that they lost to a well-executed Ukrainian counter-offensive.
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Piling further pressure on Kyiv, Russian Generals have redeployed their North Korean allies in the frontlines of Kursk that are witnessing heavy fighting. Pyongyang's "Storm Corps" were withdrawn from combat duty in late January after the inexperienced Asian soldiers became cannon fodder to the enemy. At least a third of the 12,000 "elite" soldiers sent to help Russia were killed in action due to their inability to cope with modern warfare methods.
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However, in their second coming, the North Koreans show an improved understanding of drone warfare and guerilla fighting, Ukrainian media said. They are no longer running at the enemy in large numbers but strategically operating in smaller units. The Koreans landed the biggest blow to Kyiv when they broke through defences south of the Kyiv-held Russian town of Sudzha, cutting off a key road, reports said.
Kim Jong-un has sent an additional 3,000 men to support the Storm Corps, mostly sappers, electronic and technical assistance units and infantry units. North Korean Bulsae-4 wheeled missile launchers have also been used in Kursk on their second coming, Kyiv Post said in a report.
If they decide to retreat from Kyiv, Ukrainian soldiers will have to go on foot as vehicular movement is completely out of the picture given how Russia has solidified its positions. While Volodymyr Zelenskyy's camp has confessed that they are on the back foot in Kursk, not much is known about the course of action they will take.