Russian and North Korean Soldiers Reportedly Prepping to Retake Kursk

Tens of thousands of Russian and North Korean troops have gathered in preparation to retake parts of Kursk Oblast, according to multiple reports. About 50,000 soldiers are preparing to retake portions of the Russian border region that were captured by Ukrainian troops in a surprise counterattack in August, Defense Department sources told The New York Times. The Pentagon expects the attack to commence in the coming days, sources told both the Times and CNN. The Ukrainian forces pushed into Russian territory in August, capturing territory in the border regions and advancing alarmingly close to the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant. The surprise invasion forced the Russian military to pull some of its troops from the frontlines in eastern Ukraine. Between 11,000 and 12,000 North Korean troops arrived in Russia over the last month, the Pentagon announced last week, and anonymous U.S. officials told Reuters they had already engaged in combat with Ukrainian troops in Kursk. Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky reportedly spoke to President-elect Donald Trump in a 25-minute phone call last Friday, where the incoming president reportedly promised to continue supporting Ukraine—despite skepticism voiced by Trump allies, including a peace plan briefly discussed by Vice President-elect J.D. Vance that would have given Russian President Vladimir Putin territorial concessions.