News
North Korean Troops Withdraw from Russia’s Kursk Region Amid Heavy Losses, Ukraine Says
Kyiv, Ukraine – North Korean troops stationed in Russia’s Kursk region have not been seen on the frontlines for several weeks, according to a Ukrainian military official, suggesting they may have been withdrawn after suffering significant casualties.
Colonel Oleksandr Kindratenko, a spokesperson for Ukraine’s Special Operations Forces, told CNN on Friday that Pyongyang’s forces had likely retreated.
“The presence of DPRK troops has not been observed for about three weeks, and they were probably forced to withdraw after suffering heavy losses,” Kindratenko said.
Heavy Casualties and Tactical Withdrawals
Reports from Ukrainian officials and Western intelligence indicate that about 12,000 North Korean soldiers have been sent to Russia, with around 4,000 either killed or injured. Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak has also claimed that some North Korean units have been pulled back due to the scale of their losses.
North Korean troops had been deployed to Kursk since at least November to help Russian forces repel Ukrainian incursions in the southern border region.
“We are still in the Kursk region… the Russian forces were not enough to push us out,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in a speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos last week.
Zelensky stated that Russia had 60,000 troops in the Kursk region, while 12,000 North Koreans had been stationed there. He also noted that one-third of the North Korean soldiers had been killed in combat.
North Korean Troops Used as “Cannon Fodder”
Despite reports of strong discipline and good marksmanship, North Korean soldiers have struggled against modern warfare tactics, including the use of combat drones.
“They are prepared for the realities of war in 1980 at best,” said a commander from Ukraine’s 6th Special Operations Forces Regiment, who spoke anonymously to CNN.
Ukrainian forces have also described brutal, near-suicidal tactics employed by North Korean troops. Some have detonated grenades rather than be captured, while others have left written pledges of allegiance to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on the battlefield.
Russia appears to have deployed North Koreans as foot soldiers, using them for mass ground assaults despite mounting losses in Kursk.
Ukraine Gains Ground as Russia Retakes a Village
Ukraine has recently advanced in Kursk, according to a battlefield update from the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) on January 26. However, the Russian Defense Ministry claimed earlier this week that Russian forces had recaptured Nikolayevo-Daryino, a village on the Russia-Ukraine border.
Moscow and Pyongyang Silent on Deployment
Neither Russia nor North Korea have officially acknowledged the presence of North Korean troops in Russia.
However, their growing military alliance was reinforced last year when Kim Jong Un and Vladimir Putin signed a landmark defense pact, pledging to provide immediate military assistance if either country was attacked.
The agreement, seen as a revival of their 1961 Cold War-era mutual defense pledge, has fueled concerns about increased cooperation between the two nations as Russia’s war in Ukraine drags on.
News
Two Dead, Nearly 200 Injured as PSG Title Celebrations Turn Violent Across France

What began as jubilant celebrations of Paris Saint-Germain’s historic UEFA Champions League victory ended in violence and tragedy in parts of France, with two people killed and nearly 200 injured during street festivities that spiraled out of control.
Authorities confirmed on Sunday that a 17-year-old boy was fatally stabbed in the southwestern town of Dax during a PSG street gathering, while in Paris, a man died after his scooter was struck by a car amid the crowded celebrations. Both incidents are currently under investigation.
The unrest followed PSG’s dramatic win in Munich, where the club secured its first-ever Champions League title, marking a milestone in French football history. While fans across the country took to the streets to celebrate, several areas descended into violence.
According to the French Interior Ministry, a total of 294 people were arrested nationwide as of 2 a.m. Sunday. Of the nearly 200 injured, 21 were police officers—18 of them in Paris alone. One officer remains in a medically induced coma after being struck in the face by a firework.
Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau condemned the violence in a statement on social media. “True PSG fans are celebrating a magnificent achievement. Meanwhile, barbarians have taken to the streets to commit crimes and provoke law enforcement,” he said. “It is unacceptable that people cannot celebrate without being endangered by a violent minority.”
Despite the unrest, the majority of gatherings were peaceful, authorities noted, with large crowds celebrating the historic win in cities including Marseille, Lyon, and Lille.
The PSG squad returned to Paris from Munich on Sunday afternoon aboard a Qatar Airways charter flight, arriving at 4 p.m. The team is expected to continue celebrations in the capital with tens of thousands of fans, under heightened security measures.
The violent turn of events has reignited debate in France over crowd control during major sporting celebrations, and how best to ensure public safety without dampening national enthusiasm.
PSG’s Champions League triumph marks a defining moment for the club, which has long pursued European glory. As the team prepares for a hero’s welcome, officials are urging fans to celebrate responsibly and respect public safety.
News
Ukraine Launches Major Drone Assault on Russian Airfields, Hits Over 40 Strategic Bombers

Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) has claimed responsibility for a large-scale drone strike on four Russian air bases over the weekend, targeting dozens of strategic bombers across vast swaths of Russian territory — from Siberia to the Arctic.
According to Ukrainian officials, the operation, codenamed “Spiderweb” (Pavutyna), was launched on June 1 and struck 41 long-range bombers stationed at airfields in Russia’s Ryazan, Ivanovo, Irkutsk, and Murmansk regions. The attack is being hailed by Kyiv as one of its most ambitious and far-reaching strikes since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion.
“Enemy strategic bombers are burning en masse in Russia,” a senior SBU official said, noting that the operation was specifically designed to cripple Moscow’s airstrike capabilities. “This is a large-scale special operation aimed at destroying enemy bomber aircraft.”
The four airfields targeted were Dyagilevo in the Ryazan region, Ivanovo in central Russia, Belaya air base in Irkutsk — over 4,000 kilometers from the front lines — and Olenya air base on the Kola Peninsula near the Arctic, roughly 2,000 kilometers from Ukraine’s border.
Ukrainian officials described the complex logistics of the operation, which involved covertly transporting drones deep into Russian territory, hiding them until the time of launch, and remotely executing the strikes. While specific details remain classified, Ukraine previously revealed it had developed drones with a flight range of up to 3,000 kilometers, enabling long-range operations like this.
Satellite imagery analyzed after the attack shows the presence of several high-value Russian aircraft types at the affected bases, including the Tu-95, Tu-22M3, Tu-160, and A-50 radar planes. These aircraft have been central to Russia’s long-range missile campaign against Ukraine.
The Tu-22M3, for example, is capable of carrying Kh-22 and Kh-32 cruise missiles at speeds exceeding Mach 4. The Tu-95, a Cold War-era bomber once designed to carry nuclear weapons, has been retrofitted to launch conventional cruise missiles. The A-50 aircraft provides airborne radar surveillance and target coordination for Russian forces.
The scale of the strike underscores Ukraine’s growing long-range capabilities and signals a shift in Kyiv’s strategy to disrupt Russian air operations at their source. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he had held meetings with the Ministries of Defense and Foreign Affairs, along with the General Staff and SBU, to coordinate further defense and counter-offensive planning.
There has been no immediate official response from Moscow regarding the extent of damage caused.
News
German Chancellor Merz to Meet President Trump in Washington Amid Global Tensions
-
Business1 year ago
Saudi Arabia’s Model for Sustainable Aviation Practices
-
Business1 year ago
Recent Developments in Small Business Taxes
-
Politics1 year ago
Who was Ebrahim Raisi and his status in Iranian Politics?
-
Business11 months ago
Carrectly: Revolutionizing Car Care in Chicago
-
Business11 months ago
Saudi Arabia: Foreign Direct Investment Rises by 5.6% in Q1
-
Technology1 year ago
Comparing Apple Vision Pro and Meta Quest 3
-
Politics1 year ago
Indonesia and Malaysia Call for Israel’s Compliance with ICJ Ruling on Gaza Offensive
-
Sports10 months ago
Keely Hodgkinson Wins Britain’s First Athletics Gold at Paris Olympics in 800m