The Kursk operation of the Ukrainian Defense Forces has been going on for six months. During this time, Russia has already lost 40,000 soldiers.
Points of attention
- The Kursk operation conducted by the Armed Forces of Ukraine has resulted in significant losses for the Russian army, with over 40,000 soldiers lost in six months.
- Ukrainian troops have successfully held territories in the Russian Federation through strategic combat operations in the Kursk region, showcasing their effective military capabilities.
- The success of the Ukrainian Armed Forces' Kursk operation includes capturing thousands of Russian soldiers, exchanging prisoners, and strengthening defensive positions.
- The Kursk offensive operation exemplifies the Ukrainian Defense Forces' ability to seize the initiative from a larger enemy force, effectively inflicting substantial losses.
- The six-month Kursk operation has forced the Russian army to divert significant resources to the region, impacting their positions on other fronts and demonstrating the operational success of the Ukrainian troops.
The General Staff summed up the results of the Kursk operation of the AFU for half a year
The operation of Ukrainian troops in the Kursk region began on August 6, 2024. The General Staff emphasizes that for the first time in 11 years of the war, hostilities have been transferred to Russian territory. Ukrainian troops continue to hold hundreds of square kilometers of a "buffer zone" in the Russian Federation.
The Kursk offensive operation was intended to prevent a new enemy offensive in the Sumy and Kharkiv regions. This operation still fulfills this function six months later. The operation forced the Russian occupiers to transfer significant resources to the Kursk region, weakening their positions on other fronts.
As reported by the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, North Korea has sent 12,000 soldiers to the Kursk region. The losses of the North Korean troops amount to 4,000 people. Of the three conventional brigades of the DPRK, one was actually destroyed, and two lost their combat capability.
The Armed Forces of Ukraine confirmed media information that units from the DPRK have been withdrawn from the front line.
Russian losses during the six months of the Kursk operation:
39,900 people, of whom about 16,100 were killed,
131 tanks,
689 armored combat vehicles,
386 artillery systems,
12 units of MLRS,
12 air defense systems,
1 plane,
3 helicopters,
931 unmanned aerial vehicle of operational-tactical level,
1164 units of automotive equipment,
34 units of special equipment.

During the operation, Ukrainian forces captured 909 Russian soldiers, significantly increasing the exchange fund. This allowed hundreds of Ukrainian defenders to be returned from Russian captivity.

The Kursk offensive operation remains an example of sudden asymmetric and successful actions of the Ukrainian Defense Forces, which make it possible to inflict significant losses on a superior enemy and seize the initiative on the battlefield.