**Ukraine’s Special Forces Reportedly Kill 12 North Korean Soldiers in Kursk Oblast**
Ukrainian special forces have reported killing 12 North Korean soldiers and injuring 20 others in the Kursk Oblast region of Russia. This happened on December 19, according to a statement released by Ukraine’s Special Operations Forces.
The report claims that the Ukrainian forces used drones and an Mk-19 grenade launcher to stop the North Korean soldiers from advancing. This is not the first time North Korean troops have been involved in fighting against Ukraine. In fact, Russia has reportedly deployed over 10,000 North Korean soldiers to help fight against Ukrainian troops since early August.
**North Korean Troops Suffer Heavy Losses**
At least 100 North Korean troops have been killed while fighting for Russia against Ukraine, according to a South Korean lawmaker who received an intelligence briefing. The BBC reported this on December 19.
Ukraine’s military intelligence agency (HUR) earlier reported that 30 North Korean soldiers were killed or injured during ground assaults on December 14-15.
**Russia’s Economy Faces Unfavorable Forecasts**
The Economist wrote on December 19 that Ukraine’s economy has adapted well to the realities of full-scale war, but Russia’s economy is facing increasingly unfavorable forecasts. This comes amid intensified Russian attacks against Ukraine, including a large aerial strike on December 13 that targeted energy infrastructure across Ukraine.
**Ukraine Demands Unity from West**
President Volodymyr Zelensky called for unity between the United States, the European Union, and European countries in order to stop Russian President Vladimir Putin and save Ukraine. He also warned against Russia’s attempts to conceal the extent of losses among North Korean soldiers.
“We will not engage in extending the transit of Russian gas,” Zelensky said. “We will not give (Russia) the opportunity to earn additional billions on our blood.”