Ukraine’s offensive in Kursk has dealt a heavy blow to Russia—nearly 40,000 troops lost, including 16,000 killed.

North Korea began sending an estimated 11,000 troops to the Russian Kursk region late last year, soon after North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed on a mutual defense pact designed to strengthen their alliance against what they called a US-led “Western hegemony.”

Ukraine's president says North Korean forces have returned to the front line in Russia's western Kursk region, after reports they were withdrawn last month due to heavy casualties

North Korean soldiers had been missing from combat, fueling speculation they were pulled back after taking heavy losses.

Zelensky made the comments during his evening address to the nation, adding that during recent fighting "a significant number of occupiers have been eliminated, we're talking hundreds of Russian and North Korean servicemen.