Ukraine says 3000 North Korean troops dead in war so far

Ukraine's military intelligence stated that North Korean troops have suffered significant losses in fighting in Russia's Kursk region and are facing logistical difficulties due to Ukrainian attacks. The intelligence agency, known as GUR, said that Ukrainian strikes near Novoivanovka inflicted heavy casualties on North Korean forces. Furthermore, the North Korean troops are also facing supply problems, even experiencing shortages of drinking water.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated earlier this week that 3,000 North Korean soldiers have been killed or wounded in fighting in the Kursk region. This marks the first major estimate of North Korean casualties by Ukraine, weeks after Kyiv announced that North Korea had sent 10,000 to 12,000 soldiers to assist Russia in its nearly three-year war. The disclosure of casualties comes as the U.S. Biden administration seeks to rush as much military aid as possible to Ukraine before President-elect Donald Trump takes office in January.

Ukrainian forces invaded the Kursk region in August, dealing a major blow to Russia's prestige and forcing it to divert some troops from eastern Ukraine. While Russian forces have retaken some territory in the Kursk region from Ukrainian forces, they have failed to completely dislodge them. Meanwhile, Russia is attempting to break Ukrainian resistance by using cruise missiles and drones in wave after wave of strikes against Ukraine’s power grid and other infrastructure.

In the most recent attack on Christmas morning, Ukraine's air force said that Russia used 78 missiles and 106 drones, targeting power facilities. The Ukrainian side claimed to have intercepted 59 missiles and 54 drones, and jammed another 52 drones. On Thursday, Russia attacked Ukraine with 31 explosive drones, 20 of which were shot down and another 11 of which failed to reach their targets due to jamming. As part of the daily bombardment, Russian forces also attacked a central market in Nikopol, Dnipropetrovsk region with drones, injuring eight people according to local authorities.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has threatened that Russia may again use the new “Oleshnik” hypersonic ballistic missile to attack Ukraine, which was first used in an attack on the Ukrainian city of Dnipro on November 21. Speaking to reporters, Putin said that Russia only has a small number of “Oleshnik” missiles, but he added that Russia would not hesitate to use them in Ukraine if necessary. “We are not in a hurry to use them, because these are powerful weapons designed for specific tasks,” he said. “But if necessary, we do not rule out using them today or tomorrow.” Putin said that Russia has begun mass production of the new weapon and reiterated plans to deploy some of the “Oleshnik” missiles to Russia’s neighbor and ally, Belarus. Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko told reporters on Thursday that his country could deploy 10 or more of the missiles.

Ukraine has also retaliated with its own drone attacks. Ukraine’s Strategic Communications Center said that the military attacked a factory in Kamensk-Shakhtinsky, in Russia’s southern Rostov region, that produces propellant for ballistic missiles. “This attack is part of a comprehensive effort to weaken the ability of the Russian armed forces to carry out terrorist attacks on Ukrainian civilians,” the center said in a statement.