Half of Kursk back to Russia; France may lift missile restrictions

[Anchor]

Reports are coming in that Ukraine is increasingly at a disadvantage on the Kursk front, where North Korean troops are said to be deployed.

France is considering options to use its own missiles for attacks on Russian territory to support Ukraine.

This is reporter Ahn Da-young from Paris.

[Report]

The Russian flag is raised in a village in the Russian-occupied Kursk region of Ukraine.

Pro-Russian social media has posted a video claiming that one village in Kursk has been retaken.

Reports from foreign media also indicate that more than 40% of the Kursk territory occupied by Ukraine has been returned to Russia.

This is based on reports citing high-ranking sources from the Ukrainian military's General Staff, showing that Ukraine is losing ground in the fighting.

[Volodymyr Zelensky/Ukrainian President: "What is most important to Putin is to drive us out of the Kursk region. I am convinced that Putin wants to push us out by January 20th of next year (Trump's inauguration day)."]

The Chief of Staff of the Ukrainian military stated that some of the more than 11,000 North Korean troops deployed in Kursk have engaged in combat with Ukrainian forces.

Earlier, a U.S. military publication reported that 500 North Korean troops were killed by Storm Shadow missiles fired by Ukraine in Kursk, but did not provide specific sources or evidence.

Amid intense fighting on both sides, France has also suggested it may lift restrictions on the use of its own missiles.

This could allow the use of the SCALP air-to-ground cruise missile, similar to the British Storm Shadow, for attacks on Russian territory.

Russia has warned that it will respond strongly by all means if South Korea supplies lethal weapons to Ukraine.

In response, our Ministry of Foreign Affairs emphasized that Russia should consult on what it is supporting North Korea with in exchange for troop deployment that threatens South Korea's security, and that South Korea's countermeasures depend on the actions of North Korea and Russia.

This is Ahn Da-young reporting for KBS News from Paris.