Ukraine’s Kursk operation thwarts Russian invasion plans, inflicts 38,000 casualties since August 2024

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told RaiNews24 in an interview that Ukraine's operation in the Kursk Oblast was not driven by an objective to occupy Russian territory but is a necessary measure to ensure the country’s security. On 6 January, Ukraine’s General Staff reported that since August 2024, Russian forces have suffered 38,000 casualties (killed and wounded), and 860 Russian soldiers have been taken prisoner in Kursk Oblast. As of January 2025, Ukrainian forces have been actively engaged in renewed offensive actions in the region, successfully repelling nearly 100 Russian assaults in one month alone. Speaking with journalists, Zelenskyy explained that the operation was a preemptive step, as Ukrainian intelligence and its partners uncovered Russian plans to invade northern Ukraine, including troop build-ups aimed at occupying Sumy Oblast. He added that 60,000 Russian troops are currently stationed in Kursk Oblast. This deployment has also benefited Ukrainian forces in Kharkiv Oblast, as Russia relocated a significant number of troops from there to Kursk Oblast.

"It was a tactical success for Ukraine, but it is not about occupation. We do not need their territory, their land, or their people. We simply want to live peacefully in our own homes, without war. That is all we seek," Zelenskyy emphasized.

Earlier, reports said that a combined force of Russian and North Korean troops sustained approximately 400 casualties in a failed attempt to capture the village of Makhnovka in western Russia’s Kursk Oblast. Social media analyst Andrew Perpetua appeared to confirm these losses on 6 January, reporting visual confirmation of 408 casualties in a single day. Related:

• Russian losses in Ukraine surpass 800,000 troops, says General Staff
• Ukrainian bomber drone strikes Russian Buk-M1 air defense system (video)
• UK intel: Russian casualties almost doubled in 2024, with overall losses likely reaching 790,000
• Forbes: Russia and Ukraine launch offensives on the same day in Kursk salient