Results of Ukraine's Kursk incursion and why North Korean troops don't surrender. Serhiy Zgurets' column

Ukrainian operation in Kursk region of Russia has been going on for six months

Thus, a new stage of the war has been going on for six months now, with the transfer of hostilities to Russian territory. In particular, not only by means of drones and missiles, but also by the actions of the ground military units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The operation of the Ukrainian Defense Forces in the Kursk region of the Russian Federation began on August 6, 2024, and for the first time in the 11 years of the Russian-Ukrainian war, combat operations were moved to Russian territory. This operation, in my opinion, began in close connection with political tasks. Back then, in the summer of 2024, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was promoting the Peace Plan among Western partners. The actual operation of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the Kursk region was supposed to show our partners that we have the skills, strength, and capabilities to carry out productive actions in the territory of the Russian Federation.

The main issue was systematic support with weapons from Ukraine's partners. Then and now, the political weight of the fighters in Kursk remains extremely high for the Ukrainian president. Two days ago, the President of Ukraine met with British Foreign Secretary David Lammy. At this meeting, Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that control over the territory of the Kursk region would be an important part of the negotiation process with Russia. According to the president, the Ukrainian Defense Forces are holding the situation in the Kursk region steady and will continue to do so. Volodymyr Zelenskyy mentioned the Kursk region again in his evening address. He said that it is necessary to move the fighting to the aggressor's territory.

Map of fighting in the Kursk region as of February 7, 2025

The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine summarized the quantitative results of the six-month-long operations at the Kursk bridgehead. Russian losses amounted to 40,000 personnel, including 16,000 killed, and 909 Russian soldiers were captured. A significant amount of Russian equipment was destroyed - 130 tanks, 689 armored personnel carriers, helicopters and airplanes. The North Korean military did not help Russia either. It is known that 12,000 troops from the DPRK were deployed to this area, of which 4,000 were destroyed, and for several weeks now, the Armed Forces of Ukraine have been reporting that the North Korean military is absent in this area. It is also known that Russian command posts were systematically destroyed in the Kursk region. At least 4 powerful strikes were carried out on Russian command posts. Currently, the enemy holds 60,000 personnel on this section of the front, not including the North Korean military. Due to the Russian forced reinforcement of this direction, other areas are being weakened.

Ukrainian Defense Forces launch counterattack in Kursk Region

Yesterday, there was a very important report that the Ukrainian Armed Forces launched new counterattacks in the Kursk region. These counterattacks were in the direction of Ulanok. In particular, in the direction of Makhnovka, Cherkaska Konopelka. This area is located southeast of the town of Sudzha, which is the main stronghold of Ukrainian defense. The General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces has not yet provided details about these counterattacks. However, after analyzing information from various sources, we can say that the Ukrainian military, using armored vehicles, advanced toward the territory held by the enemy. Probably, the units of the 11th Airborne Brigade of the Russian Army were surrounded in the area of Cherkaski Konopelki. Fighting is currently ongoing in the area of these settlements, but it is impossible to determine exactly where the line of contact is. However, it can be stated that the counterattack actions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the Kursk region are aimed at strengthening positions at this foothold. It is known that the Russian forces have repeatedly attacked in this direction - southeast of Sudzha. In fact, the Ukrainian Armed Forces' counterattack is aimed at expanding the security foothold northeast of Sudzha.

Russian troops are trying to attack Ukrainian positions despite numerous losses

A number of Ukrainian Armed Forces brigades are engaged in combat operations in the Kursk region. One of them is the 47th Magura Brigade. This brigade has been operating in the Kursk region for several months. We have all seen videos of the brigade's units in action using Western equipment. During the counterattacks of the Ukrainian Armed Forces on February 6-7, samples of Western equipment were also actively used.

The senior sergeant of the company of the 47th separate mechanized brigade Magura Oleh Chaus said that combat actions have intensified in the area of responsibility of the brigade. According to him, on February 6 the situation was calm, but today the Russian aggressor is trying to bring in an infantry group to attack Ukrainian positions. The group consists of more than 35 Russian occupants. The enemy has been doing this since late at night. Chaus said that as of the evening of February 7, the brigade's soldiers had killed 9 occupants and wounded 7. He added that despite the losses, the Russians continue to advance, but it is obvious that they are acting chaotically, as it is clear that they do not understand where their positions are and where the positions of the Ukrainian Armed Forces are. At the same time, as Chaus noted, Russian aircraft are constantly attacking the border with the Sumy region. These attacks are felt by the border settlements. In particular, on February 7, there were more than 17 Russian attacks by guided bombs on a partial day.

Russian drones on fiber optics are major problem for Ukrainian army

Oleh Chaus said that the area where the brigade's units operate is full of rivers, pplantations, andfields. These landmarks are the places where the Ukrainian Armed Forces hold their positions. In other words, the places where the Ukrainian infantry is standing could have been Russian positions at one time. There may be dugouts, trenches, and now they are creating fortifications.

Oleh Chaus also said that the Russians have intensified the use of fiber-optic drones for a week. At first, our servicemen felt the effect of these drones on the territory of Ukraine. The enemy flies into the territory of Ukraine, chooses a landing site that stretches to the border with the territory of the Russian Federation. The operators of Russian fiber-optic drones change their positions. Chaus emphasized that such drones are perhaps the most important problem for the Armed Forces of Ukraine. There are several ways to counter these drones. The first method requires several soldiers who will not be involved in combat. In particular, firing teams at points where drones are flying will ambush them and use rifles to shoot down the UAVs. Another option is more time-consuming to prepare, as Chaus noted, and will change the situation for a short time: hanging nets with fiber optics on the paths of drones that can catch on to UAVs. There is a third option - to destroy the positions of the operators of these drones. Chaus said that all brigades operating in the Kursk region are looking for positions of Russian drone operators who destroy Ukrainian Armed Forces equipment with fiber-optic UAVs.

North Korean military was not ready for modern warfare

Oleh Chaus, the senior sergeant of the company of the 47th Separate Mechanized Brigade Magura, confirmed that they do not currently observe the presence of the North Korean military on the battlefield. He suggested that the DPRK military could have been redeployed or rotated. He noted that during the fighting, it was clear that these soldiers were definitely not newcomers. The only thing he noticed was that they were not prepared for the kind of fighting that is taking place today. The DPRK military did not understand how to resist drones, had poor communication, and often their units did not even have radios. Their main task was to advance on the battlefield and focus on certain points. The DPRK military used tactics dating back to World War II. 

Chaus added that they were aware that the North Korean soldiers who took part in the battles in Kursk belonged to special forces and could be used for mopping up operations, but the Russians used them as cannon fodder. Most often, the DPRK military were killed in the place of concentration. Chaus said that when North Korean soldiers were injured, instead of providing first aid, they immediately killed themselves. This explains the fact that the Ukrainian military almost never managed to take them prisoner. 

The senior sergeant believes that the next offensive of the North Korean military on the battlefield in the Kursk region may be more prepared. He noted that they were wearing green camouflage uniforms of the Russian army, which is illogical in winter. He also added that they could have been better prepared to move more efficiently across open terrain and advance toward Ukrainian positions. That is why the Ukrainian Armed Forces brigades should be reinforced with artillery, mortars and drones. These are the weapons that help destroy the largest amount of Russian equipment and manpower.