Russian army again fails to fulfill Putin's Kursk mission, Ukraine keeps control of region

Ukrainian forces have lost about half of the territory they captured in Russia’s Kursk region . U.S. officials estimate that if Russia steps up efforts to push back Ukrainian forces from the start of the new year, the Ukrainian military could be forced to withdraw from Kursk by spring 2025 to avoid the risk of encirclement. That could deprive Kyiv of important leverage in ceasefire talks with Russia.
This is reported by Bloomberg . The Ukrainian army is already facing personnel shortages and uncertainty about future supplies from the United States and other allies, while trying to resist a Russian offensive in the east.
In the Kursk region, where Ukrainian troops have captured part of the territory, they are opposed by about 12,000 North Korean soldiers who support Russian forces.
If Moscow launches a more coordinated effort to push Ukrainian forces out of the region, it could happen as early as next month. In that case, U.S. officials estimate Ukrainian forces could hold the area only until spring before being forced to retreat or risking encirclement.
This period is crucial, as Ukrainian officials planned to use the territory captured in the Kursk region as leverage in future negotiations. Despite statements by President-elect Donald Trump, who took office on January 20, that he wants to end the war as soon as possible, reaching a ceasefire agreement could take several months due to the complexity of the situation for both sides.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday, December 26, that he was unaware of the Trump administration's proposal to freeze the war in exchange for guarantees that Ukraine would not join NATO for decades to come. He also stressed that such an agreement would not satisfy Russia.
With Russia’s advantage on the battlefield, it could drag out negotiations to try to seize more territory before a potential ceasefire can solidify the front line. Meanwhile, Ukrainian forces have managed to hold onto positions in the Kursk region longer than expected thanks to U.S. permission to use long-range missiles to strike Russian territory, one official said.
Another official noted that Ukraine’s goal in Kursk Oblast was not to hold territory but to create a shock effect from a counteroffensive and wear down Russian forces. In that case, the retreat could be presented as a tactical success. Two other officials expressed hope that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky would decide to withdraw from Kursk Oblast in time to avoid heavy losses.Despite the possibility of a Ukrainian withdrawal, the operation has already inflicted significant losses on both Russian and North Korean units. John Kirby, a spokesman for the US National Security Council, told reporters on Friday that North Korean forces, backed by Russia, are carrying out intensive attacks on Ukrainian positions in the Kursk region. As a result, more than 1,000 people have been killed and wounded in the past week alone.