Russia has concentrated a 50,000-strong group in the Kursk region for an offensive — WP

Russia has concentrated a 50,000-strong group in the Kursk region, which includes units of the DPRK army. This was reported by The Washington Post, citing American and Ukrainian sources.

It is noted that the group is preparing for a major offensive to liberate the Kursk region from the Ukrainian Armed Forces. During its formation, the Russian command did not deploy troops from the east of Ukraine, "which allowed Moscow to simultaneously put pressure on several fronts."

Ukrainian officials, according to them, expect that North Korean servicemen will take part in the offensive, this will happen in the coming days. Now the units of the DPRK army are undergoing combat coordination with the Russian ones in the west of the Kursk region.

According to US estimates, there are now more than ten thousand North Koreans near Kursk. They are dressed in Russian uniforms, but, according to American officials, they will fight in their own units without joining the Russian ones. The fighters of the Korean People's Army are trained to conduct artillery fire and infantry assault tactics. This training assumes that at least some of the North Korean troops will participate in frontal attacks on the positions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the article says.

"Thousands of additional infantrymen can make a difference in Kursk. These soldiers are younger and in better physical shape than many Russian contract soldiers," said American military expert Rob Lee, quoted by Strana.

"US military and intelligence officials have become more pessimistic about Ukraine's overall prospects, noting that Russia has steadily gained ground both in Kursk and in eastern Ukraine. According to officials, the failures are partly the result of Ukraine's inability to solve a critical shortage of troops," The Washington Post emphasizes.