Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reported significant Russian and North Korean losses in the Kursk region, citing reports of a battalion-sized force decimated near Makhnovka. While Zelenskyy's claims lack independent verification, Ukrainian and Western assessments suggest a substantial North Korean presence in the area. This follows previous reports of heavy North Korean casualties and accusations of Russian forces failing to adequately protect them.
The fighting, Zelenskyy emphasized, is intense along a 1,000-kilometer front line. Pokrovsk, a strategic hub, remains a focal point of intense Russian assaults aimed at bypassing the city and disrupting supply lines. The city, with a pre-war population of 60,000, now has an estimated 11,000 residents.
Elsewhere, Ukraine's air defenses successfully intercepted a majority of Russian drone attacks in an overnight campaign. Meanwhile, Russian aviation authorities temporarily suspended flights in central Russia due to safety concerns linked to recent drone strikes, including one on Kazan on December 21. These strikes highlight the ongoing threat of drone warfare in the conflict.
The fighting in the Sumy region underscores the ongoing human cost. A Russian guided bomb attack injured 10 people, including children, and caused significant damage in the village of Svesa. This latest incident, alongside other attacks in the Kharkiv region, illustrates the devastating impact of the war, now in its fourth year. The war continues to take a heavy toll on both sides.
