The General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces refuted Russian military leadership’s claims about the end of combat operations in Russia’s Kursk Oblast.
Russian Armed Forces Chief of General Staff Valery Gerasimov reported to Russian President Vladimir Putin that Russian forces had liberated Kursk territory from Ukrainian control.
Gerasimov claimed Russian forces had “defeated” Ukrainian units in Kursk and alleged Ukrainian losses of 76,000 military personnel.
In his report to Putin, Gerasimov specifically praised North Korean military personnel, noting they took active part in operations to retake Kursk and demonstrated “professionalism and coherence.” Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova added that Russia “will never forget Korean friends.”
North Korea reportedly deployed 10,000-12,000 troops to support Russian forces in Kursk starting in November 2024. These forces operated under Russian command structure against Ukrainian units.
Ukrainian defense officials reported that their operation in designated areas of Kursk continues despite challenging conditions.
“The operational situation is complex, but our units continue to hold designated positions and perform assigned tasks, while inflicting effective fire damage on the enemy with all types of weapons, including using active defense tactics,” the General Staff statement reads.
According to Ukrainian military data, since the beginning of 26 April, Ukrainian forces have repelled five Russian assault attempts in the “Kursk” operational zone. As of 3:00 pm local time, another combat engagement was still ongoing.
The General Staff rejected claims that Ukrainian units face encirclement.
“The threat of encirclement of our units is absent. The enemy leadership’s statements about the ‘defeat’ of the Ukrainian military grouping are nothing more than propaganda maneuvering and wishful thinking,” officials said.
The Ukrainian military also reported ongoing active operations in specified areas of Russia’s Belgorod Oblast.
Ukraine launched its cross-border operation into Russia’s Kursk region in August 2024, with objectives including disrupting Russian military operations, capturing territory, and forcing Russia to redistribute resources from other fronts.
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