Ukrainian forces repel Russian advances amid intense clashes

Russian troops continue in their attempts to push the Ukrainian Defense Forces out of the Kursk region. "Assaults on Ukrainian soldiers' positions occur almost daily. The enemy deploys infantry supported by armored equipment," reads the statement from the airborne assault troops.

"However, the opponent's assault groups are stopped by the determination, courage, and military skill of the Ukrainian airborne troops and Defense Forces' soldiers. In this way, several enemy attacks were repelled, resulting in significant human and armored equipment losses for them," added the unit's statement, which was accompanied by a nearly four-minute recording of the intense battles.

On Monday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that prisoners of war from North Korea, interrogated by the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), confirmed intelligence reports about their transfer to Russian territory and their complete isolation from outside communications.

"There is constant communication between the captured North Korean soldiers and SBU investigators. The prisoners' words confirm intelligence reports about the relocation of these soldiers to Russian territory, their training by Russians, and their complete isolation from outside reports," Zelensky wrote on Telegram.

In the video attached to the president's post, one of the North Korean prisoners testified that several soldiers from his country were trained to operate Russian weaponry.

According to his statement, he arrived in Russia by ship with about a hundred compatriots and was then transported by train to the combat zones. "I remember it was probably a Russian ferry, but not a military one – it was only used for cargo transport. (...) There were about 100 people on board," recounted the North Korean.