Yesterday was truly a black day for the Russian occupiers who tried to storm in five to six waves,” said Anastasia Blyshchyk, a spokesman for the 7th Separate Mechanized Brigade.

Russia lost a record number of soldiers in one day on Monday, Ukrainian intelligence said after its forces appeared to repel an initial phase of Moscow’s counteroffensive in the Kursk region.

Ukraine has said that it estimates some 50,000 Russian soldiers have been moved to Kursk to fight against the Ukrainian offensive there. The Russian troops are being supported by North Koreans after Pyongyang and Moscow signed a mutual defense pact.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russia has deployed nearly 50,000 troops to Kursk, the southern Russian region where Kyiv launched its surprise counteroffensive in the summer.

KYIV - Russia is building up infantry and armoured vehicles while stepping up aerial bombardments ahead of planned attacks along Ukraine’s southern front, a Kyiv military spokesman said on Nov 12. Read more at straitstimes.