Ukraine’s armed forces continue to maintain a foothold within Russia’s Kursk region, nearly a year after launching a surprise cross-border offensive, according to Ukraine’s top military commander.
General Oleksandr Syrsky, the commander-in-chief of Ukraine’s armed forces, stated that Ukrainian troops are defending approximately 90 square kilometers (around 35 square miles) of Russian territory seized during the August 2024 incursion. The operation initially captured over 1,000 square kilometers (386 square miles) inside the Kursk region.
Despite repeated Russian claims that all occupied territory has been reclaimed, Syrsky emphasized on Sunday that Ukrainian forces remain active on Russian soil. He also pledged to intensify military operations, expanding both the scale and depth of Ukrainian strikes on targets within Russia.
“We will continue these operations,” Syrsky said, underlining that Ukraine’s focus remains on military, not civilian, targets.
Strategic Impact and Ongoing Clashes
The operation in Kursk, launched on 6 August 2024, led to the capture of multiple villages and was described by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as a strategic move to establish a buffer zone. According to Zelensky, this prevented Russian forces from reinforcing critical front-line areas in eastern Ukraine.
However, Kyiv’s momentum has slowed significantly. Russia responded to the incursion with a rapid deployment of reinforcements, including an estimated 70,000 Russian troops and military support from North Korea. The counter-offensive has placed significant pressure on Ukrainian positions, resulting in gradual withdrawals in recent months.
North Korean Involvement and Casualties
In a rare move, North Korea reportedly sent around 11,000 troops to assist Russian forces in Kursk during the fall of 2024. Western intelligence sources told the BBC in January that over 1,000 North Korean soldiers had died in the conflict over a three-month span.
Most recently, Pyongyang announced plans to dispatch additional personnel, including mine-clearance teams and construction workers, to help restore damaged infrastructure in the war-affected areas of Kursk.