**Ukraine’s Special Operations Forces Repel North Korean Assault**
Ukraine’s Special Operations Forces have successfully repelled an attack by North Korean troops in Russia’s Kursk Oblast. The unit’s press service reported that 17 North Korean soldiers were killed during the battle.
North Korean troops had been deployed to Kursk Oblast last fall to support Russian forces against Ukrainian fighters. However, Ukrainian troops continued to fight in the region and have now gained control of several areas.
**Ukrainian Forces Claim Victory**
According to reports from the Special Operations Forces, the battle lasted all day and was won by the Ukrainian forces. The unit released a video showing what appeared to be dead North Korean soldiers.
A Ukrainian mopping-up group encountered one surviving North Korean fighter who had set an unsuccessful trap. The soldier attempted to mislead the Ukrainian soldiers before detonating a grenade to avoid capture, fatally injuring himself.
**South Korea’s National Intelligence Service (NIS) Reports High Casualties**
The NIS has reported that North Korean casualties have already reached 300 soldiers killed and 2,700 wounded. The agency attributed these numbers to the soldiers’ lack of training in modern warfare, including their inability to combat long-range drones.
The NIS further alleged that some North Korean soldiers had been forced to commit suicide to avoid capture by Ukrainian forces. This claim was echoed by White House National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby on Dec. 27.
**Ukrainian President Announces Capture of Two North Korean Soldiers**
On Jan. 11, President Volodymyr Zelensky announced the capture of two North Korean soldiers in Kursk Oblast. The prisoners of war (POWs) are currently receiving medical treatment in Ukrainian custody.
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