MOSCOW (Realist English). Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces Valery Gerasimov officially confirmed the participation of DPRK fighters in the liberation of the Kursk region from Ukrainian forces during a report to President Vladimir Putin, according to state agencies.
According to Gerasimov, the last settlement in the region — the village of Gornal — was liberated on Saturday. He emphasized that DPRK fighters demonstrated high professionalism, fighting shoulder to shoulder with Russian troops. “They showed resilience and heroism during the operation,” the chief of the General Staff noted.
During the report, Gerasimov also stated that the grouping of Ukrainian forces in the Kursk region had been split and destroyed piece by piece, with enemy losses exceeding 76,000 killed and wounded. At present, Russian forces are continuing clearance operations: abandoned buildings and forests are being inspected for the presence of remaining isolated Ukrainian soldiers.
In addition, according to Gerasimov, the creation of a security zone in the Sumy region is underway to prevent new attacks by Ukrainian forces.
The participation of DPRK servicemen in joint combat operations on the territory of the former Ukraine indicates growing military and political convergence between Russia and North Korea amid the protracted conflict and global realignment of power.