Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has confirmed that Ukrainian forces are holding back approximately 50,000 Russian troops in the Kursk region of Russia, significantly reducing Moscow’s ability to launch new offensives inside Ukraine. Speaking in his daily address, Zelensky emphasized that this operation, initiated in early August, aligns with Ukraine’s goal of weakening Russia’s military presence and defensive capabilities on the home front.

The Institute for the Study of War, a U.S.-based think tank, reports that Russia initially stationed 11,000 troops in Kursk before Ukraine’s surprise incursion. However, according to recent reports from The New York Times, Moscow has reinforced its presence in the area without relocating forces from Ukraine, suggesting that North Korean troops may have been deployed to help bolster Russian defenses. The U.S. and Ukrainian sources estimate that over 10,000 North Korean soldiers have joined the Russian contingent in Kursk.

General Oleksandr Syrskyy, Ukraine’s Commander-in-Chief, confirmed that Ukrainian forces are preventing Russian troops from being redeployed to other fronts, particularly in Donetsk. Syrskyy explained that without the Ukrainian hold on Kursk, "tens of thousands of enemies from the best Russian assault units" would likely have launched fresh attacks on Ukrainian positions in the Donetsk region, a key battleground since the war’s outset.

This operation has drawn attention to the broader dynamics of the ongoing war, with Ukraine's strategic moves in Kursk seen as a significant countermeasure against Russian advances. At the same time, both Ukraine and the U.S. have voiced concerns about the growing military collaboration between Russia and North Korea, including arms deals and the transfer of military technology.

Meanwhile, reports of an alleged phone call between U.S. President-elect Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin have sparked controversy. While the Kremlin denied the report, which surfaced in *The Washington Post*, the call was said to have included Trump warning Putin against escalating the conflict in Ukraine, amid rising global tensions.

As the war intensifies, both military and diplomatic developments continue to shape the outcome of the conflict, with Ukraine’s resistance in Kursk providing a crucial moment in the ongoing struggle.