'Storm Corps' Annihilated... Zelensky: "One North Korean Battalion Wiped Out"

Zelensky Reveals in Regular Video Address
Claims Complete Destruction of One North Korean Battalion and Russian Troop Losses
"North Korean Forces Suffer Heavy Losses in Unfamiliar War Environment"

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated in his regular video address on the 4th (local time) that the North Korean military suffered a major loss with the complete destruction of one battalion within two days on the Russian Kursk front. This occurred in a battle near the village of Makhnovka, where Russian forces lost one battalion of North Korean infantry and Russian paratroopers. President Zelenskyy described this as a "significant event."

According to Reuters, "one battalion" refers to several hundred troops. North Korea reportedly deployed about 11,000 troops to the Kursk region but has suffered heavy losses due to unfamiliar war conditions and lack of support. President Zelenskyy revealed that as of last month, North Korean casualties exceeded 3,000.

Despite North Korea's involvement, Russian forces continue to deploy troops while enduring numerous casualties, maintaining pressure on Ukrainian forces. According to RBC, Russian troop losses reached 1,510 over the past two days.

Additionally, the Russian Ministry of Defense announced it had taken control of the village of Nadiya in eastern Luhansk, and offensives around Pokrovsk in eastern Donetsk Oblast are ongoing. AFP estimated that Russia occupied approximately 4,000 square meters of Ukrainian territory last year.

Fighting involving drones and missiles is intensifying. Russia claimed that Ukraine attempted attacks on the border Belgorod Oblast using ATACMS long-range missiles provided by the United States, but all were intercepted. Russia stated it would "retaliate" and mentioned the possibility of attacking Kyiv with hypersonic ballistic missiles.

Civilian casualties are also increasing. Russian journalists covering the Donetsk-Horlivka highway in eastern Ukraine were attacked by Ukrainian suicide drones, resulting in one death and five injuries. Furthermore, in the northeastern Sumy region of Ukraine, Russian guided bomb attacks injured 10 people, including two children.