Russian President Putin announced a purported defeat of Ukrainian forces in Kursk, with North Korean troops' aid. Kyiv rejected these claims, noting continued operations in Kursk and Belgorod. Amid claims and counterclaims,

The Russian army has fully liberated the border Kursk region from Ukrainian control with the help of North Korean soldiers, Chief of Staff Valery Gerasimov said on Saturday, admitting their participation in the conflict for the first time.

The Kremlin has claimed that all Ukrainian troops have been pushed out of Russia’s Kursk region and for the first time confirmed the role of North Korean soldiers in the fighting.