Forbes: Russia Could Lose 400 Military In Single Battle In Kursk Region

Both Russian and North Korean military suffered heavy losses.

Russian occupation troops continue to try to dislodge the Ukrainian Defence Forces from the territory of Kursk region. Recently, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky reported that the Russian army lost up to a battalion of infantry, including North Korean soldiers and Russian paratroopers, only near the village of Makhnovka.

Forbes reports that Makhnovka, which came under the control of the Ukrainian Defence Forces back in August, has been the scene of fierce fighting for several days. Videos circulating on social media show Russian and North Korean troops entering the village and coming under attack by Ukrainian infantry, tanks and drones.

Analyst Andrew Perpetua, who closely studies social media to calculate casualties in the Russia-Ukraine war, confirmed Zelensky's words.

‘It feels like I just saw an entire Russian battalion die in one video,’ he said, adding that he visually confirmed 408 casualties in one day.

It is noted that the section of the front between Makhnovka in the north and Plekhovo in the south is not the most intense section on the Kursk Bulge. However, some battles in Makhnovka and Plekhovo could be bloodier compared to other sections.

On 14 December 2024, for example, during an attack across open fields, which the enemy carried out in three waves, more than 500 North Korean infantrymen were able to dislodge 100 Ukrainian soldiers who were holding the village. But the DPRK forces then became an easy target for Ukrainian drones and artillery. Ukrainian journalist Andriy Tsaplienko reported that the losses of the North Korean contingent (killed and wounded) could have been more than half of the forces involved in the attack.

‘The Russian attack in Makhnovka last weekend could have been even more costly and less successful. Not only is Makhnovka still in the grey zone, there is some evidence that Ukrainian troops - possibly from the 61st Mechanised Brigade, the 36th Independent Rifle Battalion or attached territorial brigades - actually advanced a short distance at about the same time that some 400 Russians were lying dead or wounded on the same terrain,’ the piece said.

The heavy losses suffered by both the Russian and North Korean militaries are beginning to take their toll on Russia's two-month offensive at Kursk. The Ukrainian Centre for Defence Strategies stresses that the fighting in the region has intensified to the maximum level. This forces the enemy group to spend all available resources, and at an extremely inconvenient and disadvantageous time for the Russians.

‘If the intense fighting continues for another 5-10 days, the Russian grouping will need to be quickly replenished, as it is already suffering significant losses in the counter battles. Such replenishment can only be carried out by transferring forces from other parts of the front,’ the Centre for Defence Strategies said.

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