**North Korean Troops Back on the Front Lines in Ukraine**
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky has announced that North Korean forces have returned to the front lines in Russia‘s Kursk region. This comes after reports last month suggested they had been withdrawn due to heavy casualties.
In a video address, Zelensky said Russian forces had brought back North Korean soldiers who were carrying out new assaults in the region, which is partially occupied by Ukraine. He also reported that hundreds of Russian and North Korean military personnel had been destroyed.
**Previous Reports Suggested Withdrawal**
Just last week, Ukrainian special forces told the BBC they had not seen any North Korean troops in Kursk for 21 days. A spokesman suggested it was likely they had been pulled out after suffering heavy combat losses.
**North Korean Casualties Mounting**
Reports from Western officials have suggested that at least 1,000 of the 11,000 North Korean troops sent to Ukraine have been killed over the past three months. Military experts warn that if these casualty rates continue, it will be unsustainable for North Korea.
**Russia’s Military Situation Unclear**
Russia has not publicly revealed its battlefield casualties since September 2022, when it said 5,937 soldiers had been killed. However, Zelensky claims up to 350,000 Russian soldiers have been killed in the conflict. Other reports suggest this number could be even higher.
**New Offensive Launched by Ukraine**
Zelensky announced on Friday that Ukraine has launched a new offensive in Kursk, advancing 2.5km on Thursday. Russia’s military claims the Ukrainian attacks were repelled. However, these claims have not been independently verified.