The News
Kyiv renewed its offensive in Russia’s Kursk region, as Ukraine tries to hold territory there ahead of US President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration.
Since Ukraine’s initial incursion into Kursk in August — the first invasion of Russia since World War II — Moscow has regained much of its lost territory.
Trump, meanwhile, has vowed to end the war, and a stronger position on the battlefield could give Kyiv a better position in any future negotiations with Russia: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy described it as a “very strong trump card.”
The latest push also puts a spotlight on Russia’s use of North Korean soldiers to bolster its ranks. As many as 10,000 troops were sent to Kursk, and Ukrainian officials said scores have been killed there.