North Korea’s 11th Army Corps reportedly suffered approximately 200 casualties in recent assaults on Ukrainian positions in Russia’s Kursk Oblast, according to Andriy Kovalenko, head of Kyiv’s Center for Countering Disinformation.
- Festive Drones in Action: Ukrainian operators used drones adorned with Christmas ornaments—Santa, reindeer, elves—to deliver strikes, reflecting dark humor amidst deadly precision.
- Strategic Disparities: Despite the combined 60,000 Russian-North Korean troops outnumbering Ukraine’s 20,000 in the area, disorganized infantry attacks and poor camouflage left the attackers vulnerable to drone and artillery strikes.
- Training Missteps: Observed tactics like freezing in place against drones proved ineffective, as Ukrainian operators expertly used advanced drone cameras to target moving and static troops alike.
- Casualty Concealment: Russian forces attempted to obscure North Korean losses, but video evidence of strikes and casualties has surfaced, undermining such efforts.
This development underscores the evolving role of drone warfare and highlights vulnerabilities in traditional infantry tactics against modern technologies.