Ukraine is considering a potential withdrawal from Kursk to avoid further casualties.

Ten thousand Ukrainian defenders are now at risk of encirclement after Russian forces broke through the front line and advanced toward a critical supply route in Kursk, Russia, from two directions.

“Russian forces have intensified their pressure on the key town of Sudzha, which was under Ukrainian control. A significant number of North Korean soldiers are involved in this offensive, attempting to cut off Ukrainian forces by using drones to disrupt logistical chains and supplies to Kyiv,” The Telegraph reports.

A junior sergeant, who spoke with The Telegraph, stated that Ukraine is considering pulling back from Kursk to avoid further losses.

“We want to avoid casualties. The threat of encirclement is real,” said the soldier.

A map from the Ukrainian project Deepstate shows that nearly three-quarters of Ukrainian forces in Russian territory are at risk of being completely encircled and split into two parts.

Remaining troops near the border maintain communication with main forces via a narrow corridor about one kilometer long and less than 500 meters wide at its narrowest point. The only Ukrainian road to Sudzha lies within the range of Russian drones, complicating efforts to hold the area and potentially retreat.

Elite Ukrainian units continue to operate in Kursk, including the 95th Airborne Assault Brigade, the 115th Mechanized Brigade, and the 8th Special Forces Regiment.

According to available information, Russian forces are expanding the combat zone to the villages of Novenky and Basivka, and have taken control of Nova and Stara Sorochytsya.

It’s worth noting that in late February, Russian forces, along with North Korean soldiers, launched multiple attacks on various flanks of the Ukrainian bridgehead in Kursk.

They advanced from the northwest toward Sverdlikovo, from the north near Maly Lokni, and from the southeast toward the district center of Sudzha.

Additionally, the situation remains difficult on the border of Kursk and Sumy regions, where enemy forces continue to exert pressure on Ukrainian military positions.

On January 5, 2025, the Ukrainian Armed Forces launched a new offensive in the Kursk region of Russia.