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UK intelligence has provided an update on the ongoing battles in Ukraine’s Donetsk region and Russia’s Kursk region.
The report was published on X (Twitter) by the UK Ministry of Defence.
According to the intelligence update, on February 20, Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin claimed that soldiers from Russia’s 810th brigade had allegedly crossed into Ukraine’s Sumy region from the Kursk region.
However, the UK intelligence assessment emphasized that these claims by Putin have no basis and are unverified.
Currently, Ukrainian forces are believed to control approximately 400-450 square kilometers in the Kursk region, the report states.
Additionally, intelligence noted that North Korean troops, who had been withdrawn for rest and re-equipment, have returned to their positions in the Kursk region. This rotation was necessary as more than one-third of the 11,000 North Korean troops deployed had been killed or wounded during attacks on Ukrainian positions.
Regarding the situation in Donetsk, intelligence reported that Russian occupation forces continue attacking urban areas, including Pokrovsk, Chasiv Yar, and Toretsk. They are also attempting to advance in less urbanized areas along the southern front, moving north and northwest of Velyka Novosilka.
Over the past two weeks, Russian troop advances toward Pokrovsk have been minimal.
Ukrainian forces are likely engaged in fighting for the village of Pishchane and its surroundings, located five kilometers southwest of Pokrovsk. However, it remains unclear who currently controls the settlement, the report concludes.
Previously, UK intelligence had analyzed data from the independent Russian media outlet “Verstka,” which reported that Russia’s military command is forcing men mobilized in 2022 to sign contracts with the Ministry of Defense.
Additionally, Estonia’s Defense Intelligence Center estimated that as of January 2025, Russia is losing 100 soldiers for every square kilometer of Ukrainian territory it captures.
Read also: “A Very Good Start”: EU Ambassador on Plans to Deploy 30,000 “Peacekeepers” in Ukraine
