North Korean military units fighting alongside Russia in Kursk are being reinforced to replace recent casualties, according to Ukrainian Defense Ministry intelligence, reports Magyar Nemzet.
This development comes as Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán pushes for a Christmas ceasefire to temporarily halt the bloodshed.
During combat on December 14 and 15, at least 30 North Korean soldiers were reportedly killed or wounded while attacking Ukrainian positions in the Kursk region. In response, Moscow has deployed additional forces from the 94th Independent Brigade of North Korea’s army to maintain the offensive, Ukrainian intelligence revealed. Kyiv had earlier shared photos and videos of Russian and North Korean troops who were killed in the same engagements.
Meanwhile, on Monday night, Russia launched a massive attack on Ukrainian-controlled territories, using 49 drones. Ukraine’s air force reported that most of the drones were intercepted and destroyed, with no confirmed damage or casualties.
In the political sphere, Orbán claimed Russian President Vladimir Putin had accepted his Christmas truce proposal, while Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky outright rejected it. According to Orbán, Zelensky even refused to discuss the matter over a phone call. On the other hand, incoming U.S. President Donald Trump has promised to take action to end what he described as “the carnage.”
As combat rages on, diplomatic efforts remain gridlocked, and battlefield losses continue to mount.
