Over the past nine months, the Russian army has lost 63,172 troops in the Kursk region, including approximately 4,000 DPRK citizens.
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported this on Facebook, Ukrinform reports.
The General Staff emphasized that the Defense Forces of Ukraine continue to maintain a military presence in the Kursk region and are actively carrying out assigned tasks in the Kursk direction.
“Our troops remain committed to their objective—to establish a buffer zone in border areas with Russia, preventing a new offensive campaign by the enemy in the Sumy and Kharkiv sectors,” the General Staff stated.
The Kursk operation, ongoing for more than nine months, has successfully achieved its key objectives, the General Staff emphasized.
For the first time in 11 years of war, combat operations have extended into Russian territory. At the peak of the operation, the Defense Forces of Ukraine controlled up to 1,300 square kilometers of Russian territory
The General Staff emphasized that Russia’s attempt to create a so-called ‘security zone’ in the Sumy region has failed, exposing the Russian army’s inability to secure its borders.
To counter the Ukrainian advance in the Kursk region and reclaim lost territory, Russian forces were compelled to redeploy their most capable units to the area. Additionally, they had to draw operational reserves from other regions and mobilize military units still in formation. According to the General Staff, the deployment of 12,000 DPRK troops, including elite special forces, played a crucial role in helping two enemy armies consolidate their forces and regain momentum in the sector.
Furthermore, Russian forces have established UAV superiority, while their air force has conducted an unprecedented number of airstrikes using guided aerial bombs—even targeting their own territory. The General Staff noted that Russia was forced to redistribute tactical aviation resources, with 60-70% of daily airstrikes redirected to the Kursk front. As a result of Russian airstrikes, the city of Sudzha has been almost completely destroyed.
The General Staff stressed that to counter the numerically superior Russian forces, the Defense Forces of Ukraine are employing asymmetric actions and active defense tactics, drawing on experience from previous operations.
“Given the circumstances, assault units of the Defense Forces of Ukraine continue active operations in the border area of the Kursk region. That is challenging, but the battle holds strategic importance,” the General Staff stated.
The scale of enemy losses in the Kursk operational zone underscores the intensity of the fighting.
Since August 6, 2024, Russian forces have suffered 63,172 casualties in the Kursk region, including killed and wounded personnel. Among them, approximately 4,000 are DPRK citizens. Additionally, the Defense Forces of Ukraine have captured 968 enemy soldiers.
The General Staff reports that 5,607 units of Russian weapons and military equipment have been destroyed or damaged, including: 199 tanks, 1,045 armored combat vehicles, 636 artillery systems, 17 MLRS, 15 air defense systems, 1 aircraft and 3 helicopters, 1,567 operational and tactical UAVs, 2,068 vehicles, 56 pieces of special equipment.
Russian forces continue assault operations in an effort to dislodge the Defense Forces of Ukraine from the Kursk region and establish “security zones” in border areas of the Sumy region. To achieve this, Russia has been forced to transfer reserves from other areas, including airborne troops and marines, originally intended to intensify offensive actions in the Toretsk, Pokrovsk, and Orikhiv sectors.
The General Staff emphasized that the Defense Forces of Ukraine continue to inflict significant losses on Russian manpower, equipment, and weapons. They stressed the strategic importance of conducting these operations on Russian territory to prevent further enemy advances into the Sumy and Kharkiv regions.
Source: Russian army loses over 63,000 soldiers in Kursk region over nine months — General Staff
