Russia announces complete control of Kursk, praises North Korean forces

Afghan Voice Agency (AVA): The Kremlin announced today that the Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, Valery Gerasimov, met with the President of the country, during which the Russian general informed Putin of the complete control of the Russian forces over the Kursk region. According to Gerasimov, Ukraine's attempt to advance failed to achieve its goals, which were to force Russia to withdraw its forces from other fronts and seize territory to exploit in future negotiations.

 

He also emphasized the role of North Korean forces in retaking the area, thanking the country's soldiers, who he said "fought shoulder to shoulder with Russian soldiers to liberate the Kursk region from Ukrainian forces."

 

Gerasimov explained that North Korean forces fought only on Russian territory, under a bilateral agreement that allows Russia to use North Korean military forces to protect its territory.

 

On August 6, 2024, the Ukrainian armed forces launched a surprise offensive into the Kursk region in western Russia. The attacks initially led to the capture of significant parts of Kursk by Kiev forces, but the Russians gradually regained control, and now, with the liberation of the last village in Kursk, the region has been completely retaken.

 

In his remarks today, Putin congratulated all Russian soldiers, personnel and commanders on the “liberation of Kursk” and stressed that “the complete defeat of the enemy in the Kursk border region creates the conditions for further more successful actions by the Russian armed forces on other vital fronts.”

 

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said after Gerasimov’s remarks that “Russia will never forget its Korean friends.”