North Korean troops are suffering heavy losses in the fighting in Russia's Kursk region and facing logistical difficulties as a result of Ukrainian attacks, Ukraine’s military intelligence said Thursday.

Ukrainian forces launched an incursion into Russia’s Kursk region in August, a move that undermined Russia’s military prestige and forced it to redeploy troops from eastern Ukraine, where its offensiv

Defence Intelligence of Ukraine (DIU) reports that North Korean troops in Russia’s Kursk Oblast continue to suffer losses. Source: DIU Quote: "Russia, the aggressor state, continues to deploy North Korean troops in combat operations against Ukraine.

Russia rebuffed incoming US President Donald Trump’s call for an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine, while saying it’s ready to hold negotiations on a long-lasting peace agreement to end almost three years of war.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has dismissed Donald Trump’s calls for an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine, labelling it a “path to nowhere.” While Lavrov expressed openness to dialogue, he emphasized security guarantees and long-term agreements as prerequisites.

Russia has said it would only accept a legally binding ceasefire deal for a lasting peace that would ensure the security of both Russia and its neighbours. Russian Foreign Minister, Sergei Lavrov, said that a weak ceasefire to freeze the war in Ukraine would be futile and counterproductive.