Russia lost over 62,400 soldiers in Kursk operation, Ukraine says

War in Ukraine
War in Ukraine Photo by Raw Pixel licensed under CC BY 1.0.

Since the start of Ukraine’s operation in Kursk Oblast last year, the Russian military has lost 62,400 troops, Ukraine’s General Staff reported on April 26.

Of these, 25,200 were "irretrievable" losses and 36,200 were wounded, according to the update.

"An additional 983 soldiers from the (Russian) army were captured. Thanks to prisoner exchanges, hundreds of our soldiers were able to return home from Russian captivity," the General Staff said.

The announcement follows earlier claims by Russian officials that they had fully regained control of Kursk Oblast and acknowledged the involvement of North Korean troops in the fighting.

Ukraine’s General Staff rejected the claim, and military sources on the ground told the Kyiv Independent that parts of the region remain under Ukrainian control.

"The total casualties among North Korean forces in the Kursk area have exceeded 4,500 killed and wounded," Ukraine’s General Staff added.

Ukraine launched its cross-border offensive into Russia’s Kursk Oblast in August 2024, marking the first major incursion into Russian territory by foreign forces since World War II, aiming to disrupt a planned Russian assault on Sumy Oblast and divert Russian troops from battles in Ukraine’s east.