In his evening video address, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky revealed that the Russian military has increased the deployment of North Korean soldiers for attacks in the Kursk region near the Ukrainian border. Zelensky expressed concern over the significant losses incurred in these operations but refrained from providing specific figures. Accusing Russian President Vladimir Putin of purposefully escalating the conflict against Ukraine, Zelensky highlighted the disregard shown towards appeals from countries like China and Brazil to seek de-escalation measures.
Reports of North Korean soldiers being sent to Russia initially surfaced in October, with their involvement in combat activities confirmed by Ukraine in early November. Zelensky noted that these soldiers have now been integrated into Russian units and could potentially be deployed to other fronts in the near future. The situation was further exacerbated by a tragic incident where Russian shelling in Ukraine’s Kherson region claimed the lives of at least two individuals, with six others sustaining injuries as reported by Kherson Governor Oleksandr Prokudin via Telegram. The attack resulted in damage to three residential blocks, two single-family homes, and numerous vehicles.
The front line in the region is delineated by the Dnipro River, which flows into the Black Sea. As temperatures plummet, Moscow has intensified attacks on electricity and heating infrastructure in a bid to worsen living conditions for Ukrainian citizens. Concurrently, Kiev has been experiencing territorial losses to Russia along various points of the approximately 1,000-kilometer front line. The strain on Kiev’s military forces is becoming more apparent after nearly three years of protracted conflict.
Russia has justified its heavy-handed approach by citing Kiev’s alleged use of weaponry sourced from Western powers. Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, during a party congress of the Kremlin’s United Russia party, hinted at the potential for additional territorial annexations within Ukraine. Medvedev suggested focusing on the development of regions such as Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhia, and Kherson, which are under Moscow’s control or influence.
The prospect of annexing new territories was not ruled out by Medvedev, who emphasized the need for strategic planning in this regard. Despite no longer holding the presidential office, Medvedev retains significant influence as the chairman of United Russia and deputy head of Russia’s National Security Council. The Kremlin initiated hostilities against Ukraine in February 2022, claiming to protect Russian-speaking populations in the Donbass region. While partial control has been established over the four mentioned regions, Moscow insists on their formal cession by Kiev as a prerequisite for initiating peace negotiations. The threat of further annexations looms large should Ukraine fail to comply with these demands.
