Putin admits he does not know when Russia will succeed in ousting the Ukrainian army from Kursk

Vladimir Putin speaks out about the situation in Kursk, while at least 100 North Koreans were reported killed in Ukraine in December. Russia also announces having captured two new villages in the east of the country. Le Figaro takes stock of the situation this Thursday, December 19.

Putin admits he does not know when Russia will succeed in ousting the Ukrainian army from its Kursk region

Vladimir Putin admitted Thursday that he did not know when his army would manage to push back Ukrainian forces from the Russian region of Kursk, a small part of which they have controlled since a surprise offensive in August.

“We will absolutely defeat them”assured the Russian president during his major annual press conference, answering a question from a resident of this region. “But as for the question of a specific date, I’m sorry, I can’t say that now”he admitted.

At least 100 North Koreans killed in December

At least 100 North Koreans were killed in December fighting alongside Russian forces against Ukraine, a South Korean lawmaker said Thursday, echoing similar reports from kyiv and Washington.

“In December, they participated in actual combat, during which at least 100 deaths occurred”declared MP Lee Seong-kweun about North Korean troops, after a briefing given by the National Intelligence Service (NIS) to parliamentarians in Seoul. “The NIS also said the number of injured is expected to reach nearly 1,000” among North Korean troops, Lee added.

According to him, certain information indicates that “several North Korean losses, including those of high-ranking officers, occurred in Ukrainian missile and drone attacks, as well as in accidents during training”.

“Complaints among the Russian army”

According to the NIS, cited by Lee, the high number of victims can be explained by “the unfamiliar battlefield environment, where North Korean forces are used as expendable frontline assault units, and their lack of ability to counter drone attacks”.

The MP also mentioned “complaints among the Russian military that North Korean troops, due to their lack of knowledge about drones, are more of a burden than an asset”.

Several thousand North Korean soldiers have been sent to Russia in recent weeks to support the Russian army, according to Westerners. For its part, the Kremlin has each time evaded questions on the subject, not wanting to confirm this information.

Russia claims capture of two new villages in eastern Ukraine

Russia claimed Thursday the capture of two villages in the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine, where it has been making progress in recent months against embattled Ukrainian troops, Russian state agencies reported.

The Russian Defense Ministry said its troops had “released” Zelenivka, near the town of Kurakhové, which Moscow soldiers are approaching, and Noviï Komar, a village located about twenty kilometers to the southwest, according to the Ria Novosti agency.

Zelensky calls for unity between Europe and the United States to “save Ukraine”

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Thursday called for unity between Europe and the United States to achieve peace and “save Ukraine”.

“We need this unity to achieve peace. I think that only together the United States and Europe can really stop (Russian President Vladimir) Putin and save Ukraine.he declared upon his arrival at a summit of 27 in Brussels.