North Korean troops deployed in Russia's Kursk region are suffering heavy losses and being left unprotected by the Russian forces they are fighting alongside, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Friday.
Zelenskiy, in his nightly video address, said Russian troops were sending the North Koreans into battle with minimal protection and that North Koreans were taking extreme measures to avoid being taken prisoner.
"Their losses are significant, very significant. We see that neither the Russian military nor their North Korean overseers have any interest in ensuring the survival of these North Koreans," he said.
"Everything is set up so that it is impossible for us to capture them. There are instances in which they are executed by their own forces. Russians send them into assaults with minimal protection."
Ukrainian and Western intelligence reports say there are about 12,000 North Korean troops in Kursk, a Russian region on the border where Ukrainian forces are holding chunks of territory after staging an incursion in August.
Earlier this week, Zelenskiy said more than 3,000 North Koreans had been killed or wounded.
He said Ukrainian forces had managed to take a few North Korean soldiers prisoner "but they were severely wounded and it was not possible to save their lives".
Zelenskiy said the Korean people "should not be losing their lives in battles in Europe. This is something that Korea's neighbours, including China, can influence."
"If China is sincere in its statements that the war should not expand, it needs to exert appropriate pressure on Pyongyang."
Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke by phone about bilateral relations, regional stability, and global challenges.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused Russia on Thursday of failing to deliver a promised peace memorandum more than a week after it was expected, calling Moscow’s delay a deliberate attempt to sabotage negotiations.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Wednesday that Ukraine and Germany had reached new agreements on defence sector investments.
Ukrainian President Zelenskyy met German Chancellor Merz in Berlin to push for stronger support and discuss ceasefire efforts amid renewed Russian attacks and rising frontline tensions.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that Ukraine is boosting production of drones and missiles to counter Russian threats, following a meeting with military leaders, including Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi, Chief of the General Staff Anatoliy Hnatov, and Defense Minister Rustem Umerov.
As Germany considers providing long-range Taurus missiles to Ukraine, military experts warn the move could enable Kyiv to strike targets deep inside Russian territory, including Moscow — a shift that could escalate tensions and draw NATO closer to direct confrontation.
Ukraine has carried out one of its largest drone strikes of the war, reportedly hitting more than 40 Russian military aircraft at multiple air bases, a Ukrainian security official told Reuters on Sunday.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Sunday that Ukraine will attend a meeting in Istanbul on Monday, following a proposal from Russia.
Flash floods in central Nigeria have killed at least 151 people, with authorities warning the toll may rise further as search and rescue operations continue in the flood-ravaged town of Mokwa, Niger State.
A celebration of Turkish cuisine and friendship took place in Karachi on Sunday as the Turkish Consulate hosted a World Breakfast Day event, sharing traditional flavours with a distinguished Pakistani audience.
On May 28, the inauguration ceremony of Lachin International Airport was held.
Taxi drivers across France are protesting government plans to cut payments for driving patients to medical appointments. These cuts are part of a broader effort by Prime Minister François Bayrou to save €40 billion in the 2026 budget and reduce the country’s large deficit.
A car drove into crowds of Liverpool fans celebrating the club’s Premier League title in the city centre on Monday evening, injuring dozens including 4 children. A 53-year-old man believed to be the driver was arrested at the scene.
EU ministers have greenlit a massive €150 billion defense investment fund—dubbed the Security Action for Europe (SAFE)—as the bloc ramps up its military readiness in response to Russia’s aggression and growing uncertainty over U.S. security guarantees.
Brazil’s economy is expected to have regained momentum in the first quarter of 2025, driven by a surge in household spending and private investment, according to a Reuters poll of economists conducted from May 21–26.
As Germany considers providing long-range Taurus missiles to Ukraine, military experts warn the move could enable Kyiv to strike targets deep inside Russian territory, including Moscow — a shift that could escalate tensions and draw NATO closer to direct confrontation.
Ukraine has carried out one of its largest drone strikes of the war, reportedly hitting more than 40 Russian military aircraft at multiple air bases, a Ukrainian security official told Reuters on Sunday.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Sunday that Ukraine will attend a meeting in Istanbul on Monday, following a proposal from Russia.
Flash floods in central Nigeria have killed at least 151 people, with authorities warning the toll may rise further as search and rescue operations continue in the flood-ravaged town of Mokwa, Niger State.
More than 500 people were arrested and two fatalities reported following chaotic celebrations across France after Paris Saint-Germain's historic Champions League victory, according to the interior ministry.
As Germany considers providing long-range Taurus missiles to Ukraine, military experts warn the move could enable Kyiv to strike targets deep inside Russian territory, including Moscow — a shift that could escalate tensions and draw NATO closer to direct confrontation.
Ukraine has carried out one of its largest drone strikes of the war, reportedly hitting more than 40 Russian military aircraft at multiple air bases, a Ukrainian security official told Reuters on Sunday.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Sunday that Ukraine will attend a meeting in Istanbul on Monday, following a proposal from Russia.
Flash floods in central Nigeria have killed at least 151 people, with authorities warning the toll may rise further as search and rescue operations continue in the flood-ravaged town of Mokwa, Niger State.
A celebration of Turkish cuisine and friendship took place in Karachi on Sunday as the Turkish Consulate hosted a World Breakfast Day event, sharing traditional flavours with a distinguished Pakistani audience.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment