The Russian occupying forces continue their attempts to dislodge the Ukrainian Defense Forces from the territory of Kursk Oblast. Recently, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky reported that near the village of Makhnovka, the Russian army lost up to a battalion of infantry, including North Korean soldiers and Russian paratroopers.
The publication Forbes specifies that Makhnovka, which came under the control of the Ukrainian Defense Forces back in August, has been the site of fierce battles for several days now. Videos circulating on social media show Russian and North Korean troops entering the village and coming under attack from Ukrainian infantry, tanks, and drones.
Analyst Andrew Perpetua, who meticulously studies social media to track losses in the Russian-Ukrainian war, confirmed Zelensky's statements.
"It feels like I just witnessed an entire Russian battalion being wiped out in one video," he stated, adding that he visually confirmed 408 losses in a single day.
It is noted that the front line section between Makhnovka to the north and Plekhovo to the south is not the most intense stretch on the Kursk Bulge. However, individual battles in Makhnovka and Plekhovo may have been more bloody compared to other areas.
For instance, on December 14, 2024, during an attack across open fields, which the enemy carried out in three waves, over 500 North Korean infantry managed to dislodge 100 Ukrainian soldiers who were holding the village. However, at that time, the North Korean forces became easy targets for Ukrainian drones and artillery. Ukrainian journalist Andriy Tsapliyenko reported that the losses of the North Korean contingent (killed and wounded) could amount to more than half of the forces involved in the attack.
"The Russian attack on Makhnovka last weekend could have been even more costly and less successful. Not only is Makhnovka still in the gray zone, but there is some evidence that Ukrainian forces – possibly from the 61st Mechanized Brigade, the 36th Separate Rifle Battalion, or attached territorial brigades – actually advanced a short distance around the same time that about 400 Russians lay dead or wounded in the same area," the article states.
Heavy losses sustained by both Russian and North Korean troops are beginning to impact the two-month-long Russian offensive on the Kursk Bulge. The Ukrainian Center for Defense Strategies emphasizes that hostilities in the region have intensified to maximum levels. This forces the enemy group to expend all available resources, particularly at a highly inconvenient and disadvantageous time for the Russians.
"If intense fighting continues for another 5-10 days, the Russian grouping will need urgent reinforcements, as it is already suffering significant losses in counterattacks. Such reinforcements can only be achieved by transferring forces from other sections of the front," the Center for Defense Strategies states.
Fighting in Kursk Oblast
According to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, as of 22:00 on January 8, Ukrainian defenders repelled 27 attacking actions by Russian invaders in Kursk Oblast since the start of the day. Fierce battles are ongoing there.
Moreover, the Russians continue to shell their own settlements. During the operation of the Defense Forces in the Kursk region, as a result of Russian air and artillery strikes, Sudzhi saw 36 local residents lose their lives.
Regarding Russian army losses, over the 5 months of the Kursk operation, the total losses of the enemy exceeded 38,000, of which about 15,000 were killed. The enemy also lost hundreds of units of equipment. 860 occupiers were captured, allowing for the release of hundreds of Ukrainian defenders who were held in Russian prisons.