Captured notebook reveals Russian military training for North Koreans. Serhiy Zgurets’ column

Frontline situation

Let’s start with the front line, where 200 combat clashes occurred on December 25 alone - a significant number. Half of these engagements occurred in three sectors: Pokrovsk, Kurakhove, and Vremivka. However, I’ll focus on two other sectors to highlight the importance of tactical skills, operational planning, personnel training, and achieving results - both positive and negative.

Let’s begin with the Kharkiv sector, based on video footage from Ukraine's 3rd Separate Assault Brigade, holding the defense near Borova. For some time, Russian troops had been carring out attacks there, but Ukrainian soldiers were successfully conducting counteroffensive actions, as demonstrated in the video.

The 1st Assault Battalion of the 3rd Separate Assault Brigade, supported by tanks from the tank battalion, demonstrates tactical operations in this sector. The video shows two Ukrainian tanks advancing to storm a position. The 3rd Assault Brigade is operating Polish-supplied T-72 tanks, along with two M113 armored personnel carriers participating in the attack.

The tanks provide fire support for the assault actions, creating a shock effect on Russian troops. Then, the M113s move up, deploying an assault group that clears Russian positions under the cover of smoke, creating conditions for securing the area. This time, Russian soldiers were both eliminated and taken prisoner.

It is crucial to note that every such operation, as previously explained by the brigade's commander Andriy Biletsky, is prepared systematically and thoroughly. Coordination within Ukrainian units is practiced in depth beforehand, ensuring that every element of the offensive operation knows its role and place on the battlefield. Training sessions are conducted, and only after that do assault actions begin, supported by reconnaissance systems and effective coordination between all units. We can see that this approach works and achieves results. Preparation, planning, and ensuring that everyone knows their role on the battlefield are what deliver success.

Kursk region

Now, let's move to the Kursk region, where since August 6, the Ukrainian military has been holding a bridgehead on Russian territory. According to General Syrskyi, Russian losses in killed and wounded have reached 20,000. To strengthen its capabilities in this area, Russia is now deploying soldiers from North Korea.

On December 26, the Ukrainian Armed Forces' Special Operations Forces released a highly intriguing report, decrypting entries from the captured notebook of a North Korean soldier who was later eliminated in the Kursk region. The killed DPRK fighter belonged to a special forces unit and, while still alive, used the notebook to document strategies for countering drones deployed by Ukrainian forces in this sector of the front.

He wrote about how to neutralize a drone, noting that upon detecting one, a group of three should be formed. One person acts as bait to draw the drone’s attack, while the other two stand at a distance of 10-12 meters and try to shoot down the drone using firearms.

Interestingly, the soldier described that the bait must remain still. At that moment, the drone is also expected to hover in place, as the North Koreans believe that a stationary target becomes invisible to the drone or its operator. This reveals a complete misunderstanding of how drones are used on the battlefield.

What’s surprising is that I’ve also seen footage of Russian soldiers employing a similar tactic. Two Russian troops froze in place, standing like mannequins on a road, hoping the drone wouldn’t notice them. However, they were all eliminated.

We can now see that Russian soldiers are passing on such tactics to North Korean troops, with grim results for the latter.

The North Korean soldier also described methods for defending against or avoiding artillery fire. He suggested that since each shell doesn’t hit the same crater twice, one should take cover in a crater left by a previously exploded shell. However, with the use of cluster munitions, such a tactic is unlikely to provide effective protection against Ukrainian artillery.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that since North Koreans began assisting the Russians in combat operations, over 3,000 DPRK soldiers have already been eliminated. Russian forces continue to bring in more manpower, facing the same consequences as the previous groups of North Korean troops.

Russian command post struck in Kursk region

But it’s not just North Korean special forces being eliminated. Ukraine's General Staff updated information about a strike carried out several days ago on the command post of Russia's 810th Marine Brigade. On December 25, this strike targeted the village of Lgov, where the brigade's command post was located in one of the buildings.

Initial reports indicated that the deputy commander of the Marine Brigade was killed in the strike. Later, it was revealed that 17 other Russian personnel from the brigade’s command were also eliminated. This will undoubtedly have a significant negative impact on the brigade's ability to conduct combat operations. Earlier reports suggested that this brigade was to be redeployed to reinforce the Kherson direction, but it’s likely those plans have now been disrupted.

Ukraine's national defense industry

Next, let’s discuss the Ukrainian defense industry. We see how effectively Ukrainian drones are being used in the Kursk region and other directions, eliminating Russian forces. These drones, along with other critical battlefield systems, are produced by Ukraine's domestic defense industry.

Maksym Pliekhov, Chairman of the Lviv Defense Cluster, shared that over two and a half years of development in the defense industry, new enterprises have been established, now operating as suppliers for the Ministry of Defense. The progress in the defense sector over these years can be divided into several areas. First, light industry has been revitalized, starting with the production of essential items - from underwear to body armor. Today, almost 100% of such goods are produced in Ukraine, with domestic manufacturers competing with international producers. By December 2024, 60-70% of clothing and gear needs for the next year had already been contracted. As for drones and ammunition, contracts for 2025 are also being signed. Ukrainian manufacturers can now meet nearly 100% of the demand for most drone production categories.

The Chairman of the Lviv Defense Cluster noted that ammunition production also began to develop rapidly in 2024. However, for any shell, explosives are required, and the waiting time for these can stretch for several years. It should be noted that the number of ammunition manufacturers has significantly increased, so there is hope that the next year will be a breakthrough in supplying our Armed Forces with domestically produced drones and ammunition. The situation with Ukrainian armored vehicles is also active; these enterprises have fulfilled their production plans and can continue to develop. Overall, the changes taking place in the domestic defense industry should be viewed quite positively. It is now necessary to focus not only on final assembly but also on raw material production, such as explosives.

Pliekhov added that the drone sector has been actively operational for the first year, and currently, contracts are being actively signed. The localization of production for UAV components is also beginning. Drone and ammunition production will transition to a unified concept of loitering munition, as there is no sense in having drones and munitions separately. The concept of loitering munition is seen as relevant and promising for the upcoming year.