North Korean soldiers withdrawn from Kursk front line due to heavy losses

North Korean soldiers fighting alongside Russian forces in Kursk Oblast have been pulled from the front line after suffering significant losses, according to The New York Times, citing Ukrainian and U.S. officials.

Approximately 11,000 North Korean soldiers were deployed to Russia in November. However, Commander Oleksandr Syrskyi stated that their numbers have halved in just three months due to poor coordination and devastating casualties.

Sources report that North Korean troops, including elite special operations forces, were used as foot soldiers, advancing with minimal armored support across minefields under heavy Ukrainian fire.

Officials suggest the withdrawal may be temporary, with possible redeployment following further training or strategy adjustments by Russian forces.

Ukraine's Special Operations Forces (SOF) have confirmed that North Korean soldiers have been absent from Russia's Kursk Oblast for approximately three weeks.

Ukrainian Armed Forces confirmed the withdrawal of North Korean soldiers

According to SOF spokesperson Oleksandr Kindratenko, the withdrawal was likely due to severe losses suffered by the North Korean contingent. "There has been no presence of North Korean troops in the region for around three weeks. It is likely that they were forced to withdraw after suffering significant losses," Kindratenko stated.

This confirmation supports earlier reports suggesting that poor coordination and disorganization led to substantial casualties among North Korean forces deployed alongside Russia. Their potential redeployment remains uncertain.

One civilian killed and 35 injured in Russian attacks across Ukraine over past day

On Jan. 31, Russian attacks across multiple Ukrainian oblasts claimed the life of one civilian and injured at least 35 people, including children, according to regional authorities.

The Air Force reported that Russia launched 102 Shahed-type attack drones and decoy drones overnight. Ukrainian defenses shot down 59 drones across 12 oblasts, while 37 were lost in airspace without causing damage.

In Dnipropetrovsk oblast, three people were injured during drone and artillery strikes. A 37-year-old man was wounded on Jan. 30 in Nikopol district, while a 58-year-old man and woman were injured during attacks overnight. Industrial and agricultural enterprises, homes, and other buildings were damaged.

Donetsk Oblast:
In Donetsk oblast, one person was killed, and 18 others were injured, Governor Vadym Filashkin reported:

In Kramatorsk, massive strikes injured 11 people, including two children aged 7 and 8. A separate drone attack in Pokrovsk injured five, including a British volunteer. One civilian was killed in Ivanopillia, and two were injured in Bilytske.

In Kharkiv oblast, A 75-year-old woman and a 68-year-old man were injured in Prystin. An educational facility and an apartment building were also damaged.

In Kherson oblast, nine people were injured in Russian strikes, Governor Oleksandr Prokudin reported. Two high-rise buildings, 48 houses, and other structures sustained damage.
In Sumy Oblast, drone strikes injured three civilians. One person was hurt in the Khotin community, while two others sustained injuries in Krasnopillia.

In Kyiv drone debris damaged an apartment in the Obolon district, Mayor Vitali Klitschko said. Fortunately, no casualties were reported.

Authorities continue to assess the aftermath of these widespread attacks.

Moscow spreads fake claims of "Ukrainian atrocities" in Kursk Oblast

Russian news outlets are spreading false claims that Ukrainian forces have "killed and raped" dozens of civilians in the village of Russkoye Porechnoye, Kursk Oblast, according to Ukraine's Center for Countering Disinformation.

The Kremlin's propaganda machine has been working to create a "Russian Bucha," the Center said, referencing the site of mass atrocities committed by Russian forces in Ukraine. In its latest disinformation campaign, Russia is circulating a video purportedly showing dead bodies. However, the footage lacks context or identifiable details, making it impossible to verify the location or establish any link to Ukrainian troops.

The Center also dismissed so-called testimonies from a captured Ukrainian soldier, emphasizing that evidence gathered under duress is unreliable, given Russia's documented use of torture and coercion.

This fabricated narrative is part of Russia's ongoing strategy to distract from its own war crimes and justify its continued aggression, the Center stressed. The Ukrainian government continues to urge caution and critical evaluation of Russian information tactics.