Since then, Russian forces – bolstered by thousands of North Korean troops sent by Putin-ally Kim Jong-un – have sought to claw back most of that land. The North Korean troops began arriving in Kursk from late October as part of a mutual defence pact agreed between Putin and Kim.

Ukrainian units are not currently under threat of encirclement in Russia's Kursk Oblast, Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said on March 10. Syrskyi's statement follows reports on Russian and North Korean troops launching an attack on the Ukrainian-held town of Sudzha in Kursk Oblast.

More than 200 people were evacuated from Sudzha in Russia’s Kursk region as Moscow carries out an intense aerial campaign to reclaim the area from Ukraine.View on euronews

President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine has denied claims by President Trump and President Vladimir V. Putin that Ukrainian forces in Kursk were surrounded.

"Thanks to the coordinated and professional work of our defenders, total Russian losses in manpower since the start of this year have exceeded 100,000," Syrskyi stated. He praised Ukrainian troops for their professionalism and resilience,