Bloomberg reports that the Ukrainian Armed Forces may withdraw from the Kursk region in the spring of 2025.

Due to a shortage of soldiers and uncertainty regarding weapon supplies, the retention of territories is only feasible until spring, according to sources. After that, the Ukrainian Armed Forces may either retreat or risk being surrounded.

American officials, in discussions with Bloomberg, noted that Ukrainian forces have held out longer than expected, thanks to the U.S. allowing them to use their missiles for strikes against Russia. Sources claim that Kyiv's main objective was not to retain territories but to demonstrate its invasion capabilities, which can be considered a tactical success for the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

Some experts suggest that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky may order a retreat to avoid significant losses. The office of the Ukrainian leader did not provide comments to Bloomberg.

• Sources from the Ukrainian Armed Forces told the BBC in early December that the military had been ordered to hold as much Russian territory as possible until the inauguration of the newly elected U.S. President Donald Trump, scheduled for January 20, 2025.
• Earlier, Reuters reported that the Ukrainian Armed Forces lost over 40% of their territories in the Kursk region following a Russian counteroffensive. In December, Russian Chief of Staff Valery Gerasimov stated that the advance of Ukrainian troops had been halted, with losses amounting to nearly 40,000 personnel. President Vladimir Putin mentioned that Ukrainian forces would be completely expelled from the region.
• According to intelligence from the U.S. and South Korea, over 10,000 North Korean soldiers are participating in the battles in the Kursk region on the side of Russia. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky reported that the North Korean contingent has already lost three thousand personnel killed and wounded, with Seoul estimating 1,100 of those as irretrievable losses.

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