**Russia Hides North Korean Losses, Claims President**
President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine claims that Russia is trying to hide the losses of North Korean soldiers fighting in the war against Ukraine. This was announced on December 16.
According to Zelensky, Russia has been training and deploying North Korean units without revealing their presence. He also accused Moscow of resorting to extreme tactics to disguise the identities of North Korean soldiers killed in combat.
Zelensky shared a video that appears to show Russian personnel setting fire to the bodies of North Korean fighters on the front line. However, The Kyiv Independent could not confirm the authenticity of this video.
**North Korean Troops in Ukraine**
Pentagon spokesperson Major General Patrick Ryder confirmed on December 16 that North Korean personnel had engaged in combat operations alongside Russian troops in Kursk Oblast and suffered their first casualties.
Ukraine’s military intelligence has claimed that at least 30 North Korean soldiers have been killed or wounded on the Kursk front. Western officials warned earlier this year that over 10,000 North Korean troops had amassed in Kursk Oblast to aid Russia’s attempt to oust Ukrainian forces.
**Sanctions and War Efforts**
The European Union imposed fully fledged sanctions on December 16, including asset freezes and visa bans, on Chinese firms for supplying Russia’s military for the war against Ukraine.
Estonia’s Prime Minister Kristen Michal said that NATO countries should increase defense expenditure due to Russia’s actions. Hungary, which has close ties with Moscow, has consistently criticized EU sanctions against Russia.
**Ukraine’s Defense Efforts**
Launched in October 2022, the European Union Military Assistance Mission in support of Ukraine (EUMAM) has already trained approximately 60,000 Ukrainian troops as of August 2024.
Colonel Vadym Sukharevskyi said that Ukraine’s laser system, called Tryzub, can down aircraft at altitudes exceeding 2 kilometers.