Ukraine is losing ground in Koersk: 'Putin wants to push us out before Trump's inauguration'

kiev - Ukrainian troops now occupy just over half of the territory they conquered earlier this year in the Russian region of Koersk. They are fighting to maintain a strong negotiating position.

A source within the Ukrainian military leadership told Reuters that Ukraine currently controls about 800 square kilometers of territory in Koersk, more than 40 percent less than the peak of 1376 square kilometers. 'The enemy is increasing the number of counterattacks,' said the Reuters source. 'We will maintain control of this area as long as militarily necessary.'

Ukraine has been anticipating an escalation of the conflict in Koersk for some time. President Volodymyr Zelensky said over the weekend: 'The main focus for [Russian President Vladimir] Putin is to push us out of the Koersk region. I am convinced that he wants to push us out before January 20.' Trump will be inaugurated as President of the United States on that date. During the presidential campaign, Trump expressed his desire to negotiate peace between Russia and Ukraine on his first day in office.

According to Zelensky, Russia wants to demonstrate that it has regained control of Koersk before the inauguration. Every square meter of Russian territory held by Ukraine can be used as leverage at the negotiation table. Kiev has been seeking permission to use Western long-range weapons on Russian territory for months, and finally received approval last week.

Ukraine immediately took action after receiving permission. Russia reported that it had shot down the first American ATACMS missiles a day after Washington gave the green light. However, there were also reports of Ukrainian successes. An attack using British-French Storm Shadow cruise missiles reportedly hit a Russian command post in Koersk. Video footage of the attack shows a large building complex being hit by multiple strikes.

There is uncertainty about the casualties from the attack. The official Russian version is that some soldiers were killed, but no officers. A Russian military blogger claimed there were 18 dead and 33 wounded, including three North Koreans. The fate of Lieutenant General Valery Solodchuk, the deputy commander of the 44th Army Corps, is unknown.

Rumors abound about Solodchuk's fate. According to a Western source, Global Defense Corp, the general was killed in the attack along with 18 Russian officers and 500 North Korean soldiers. Another source reported that Solodchuk was only wounded, or even escaped unharmed. The truth remains unclear, but Solodchuk has not been seen since the attack.

There is also uncertainty about the involvement of North Korean soldiers in Koersk. Most of them appear to still be in training. South Korea's NIS has reported that North Koreans are training with the Russian VDV airborne brigade, confirming earlier reports that the North Koreans are operating under VDV authority. Others may be assigned to the Russian marines.

Training for the North Koreans appears to be ongoing, with some reportedly joining the fight and sustaining injuries, according to Ukrainian reports. However, many remain behind the lines preparing for combat. Reports of North Korean involvement in the Donbas and the city of Mariupol have been disputed by Kiev.

Meanwhile, Ukraine appears to be losing ground in the Donbas. Reports from Eastern Ukraine suggest that Russian forces are slowly advancing. While Russian gains have been limited so far, Ukrainians fear a larger breakthrough. A Ukrainian military spokesman warned on Sunday of a possible Russian offensive in the south of Donetsk: 'It is highly likely that the enemy will launch multiple attacks to break through our defenses.'

With exactly eight weeks until Donald Trump's inauguration, Ukraine will need to do everything possible to minimize territorial losses, not only in Koersk but also along the front lines in their own country. Each lost square meter of land weakens Ukraine's negotiating position. The country has been fighting for its existence, and now it fights for its future.