Outnumbered Ukrainian troops are clinging to a section of Russian territory in hopes of using it as a bargaining chip in any future negotiations.

Ukrainian special forces claimed on Monday to have inflicted more than 100 casualties among North Korean forces over three days of operations inside western Russia.

A relative majority of Ukrainians (40%) believe that the offensive operation by the Armed Forces of Ukraine in Russia’s Kursk region has improved Kyiv’s chances of achieving its goals in peace negotiations.

Ukraine's Special Operations Forces (SOF) have reported the elimination of three more North Korean soldiers in Kursk Oblast and seized their documents, which display signs of forgery. The documents are likely being used by Russia to conceal the presence of North Korean military personnel.

Six people were killed and ten more were hospitalized in the Friday strike, Kursk acting Governor Alexander Khinshtein said.

Ukraine said on Monday that North Korean soldiers fighting alongside Russian troops suffered heavy losses during fighting at the weekend in the Russian region of Kursk.

Operators of the 8th Separate Special Operations Regiment have killed 77 North Korean soldiers in Russia's Kursk Oblast over the past three days. Source: Special Operations Forces on Telegram Quote: "Kursk Oblast.

North Korean troops have now entered Russia’s war with Ukraine in a major way, and some have been killed, Western officials say.

Intelligence revealed that Russia was using the platform to coordinate Shahed kamikaze drone strikes on Ukraine’s southern infrastructure. The platform was also equipped with a

Tank commander Nazar, 23, stands with fellow soldiers Ruslan, 35, and Andrii, 37, at a fallback position in the Sumy region of Ukraine on Dec. 6. The troops, from Ukraine’s 95th Brigade, were preparing for orders to return to Russia’s Kursk region. (Serhiy Morgunov for The Washington Post)