Today, there is interesting news from the Kursk direction.
Here, the Russian military, bolstered by North Korean forces, attempted a bold assault to eliminate a critical Ukrainian bridgehead east of the Psel River. This move set off a series of intense battles and revealed the lengths Russians would go to keep North Korean involvement a secret and take credit for their victories.
The Russian objective, supported by North Korean troops, in this sector of the Kursk salient, was clear: to neutralize the Ukrainian presence east of the Psel River, which posed a significant threat to their operations.
This strategic move aims to neutralize a possible Ukrainian penetration toward Borki and potentially Giri, which Ukrainians have already reached once early in the Kursk offensive. Such a repeated advance would disrupt Russian operations across the Kursk salient, as it would force the redeployment of troops and resources to this sector, away from their efforts in the northwest.
The key position here was Plekhovo, which was defended only by a small Ukrainian contingent due to its location in the lowlands and the connected logistical disadvantages, being separated from the rest of the Kursk salient by the Psel River.
Exploiting these vulnerabilities, North Korean troops advanced through minefields and reportedly achieved a breakthrough by seizing the village in a highly attritional operation lasting two hours. Geolocated footage from the region confirms the huge columns of North Korean troops advancing to achieve their first success in the area.
Despite this, tensions quickly emerged as Russian forces started looking for a way to claim credit for the victory after initial reports suggested that Russian units only entered Plekhovo after the North Koreans had secured it.
In a brutal twist, reports from Ukrainian intelligence and President Volodymyr Zelensky indicate that Russian forces started to burn the faces of deceased North Korean soldiers to conceal their identities. This grisly act, confirmed by drone footage, underscores Russia’s effort to obscure the presence of foreign troops on its soil and avoid acknowledging its reliance on North Korean forces to reclaim its own territory.
Additionally, Ukrainian officials have alleged that North Korean soldiers are being disguised as Russian personnel, highlighting the Kremlin’s desperate attempts to maintain the facade of self-sufficiency.
Following the capture of Plekhovo, Russian forces sought to capitalize on their momentum, and achieve a propaganda victory by advancing toward Oleksandriya and into Ukrainian territory, as Russian state TV was quick to claim a success.
Unfortunately for Russians, Ukrainian Special Operations Forces thwarted this attempt with precision strikes from drones and ambush tactics, forcing the Russian saboteurs to retreat to their own territory, however Ukrainian units decided this was not enough. They pursued those that went past the border and eliminated both them and the remaining enemy forces, dealing a quick blow to Russian aspirations of further gains and spoiling the desired propaganda effect.
Undeterred, Russian commanders decided to once again rely on North Korean troops, this time deploying them in a high-risk river crossing assault on Kurilovka. Lacking the tactical advantages present at Plekhovo, and forced to storm without cover, the North Korean forces were decimated by Ukrainian drone operators while still trying to cross the river. The aftermath of the failed assault left the water littered with the bodies of North Korean soldiers, marking another devastating failure for them in the region.
Overall, Russia’s continuing reliance on North Korean troops highlights a pattern of attritional and questionable tactics. Despite their initial success near Plekhovo, the North Koreans have suffered staggering losses, with Ukrainian intelligence estimating over 220 casualties in just a few days of combat.
These heavy losses, combined with Russia’s efforts to conceal their presence, paint a grim picture of the exploitation of the North Korean fighters in the war. The Kremlin’s reliance on North Korean troops underscores the challenges it faces in sustaining its operations. While these troops provide numerical support, their lack of combat experience and the brutal treatment they receive from their Russian counterparts limit their effectiveness.
Ultimately, the deployment of North Korean forces serves as a desperate attempt to bolster Russia’s faltering campaign in Kursk while exposing the depths of its logistical and strategic vulnerabilities.
In our regular frontline report, we pair up with the military blogger Reporting from Ukraine to keep you informed about what is happening on the battlefield in the Russo-Ukrainian war.
