Outnumbered Ukrainian troops are clinging to a section of Russian territory in hopes of using it as a bargaining chip in any future negotiations.

Ukraine's Special Operations Forces (SOF) have reported the elimination of three more North Korean soldiers in Kursk Oblast and seized their documents, which display signs of forgery. The documents are likely being used by Russia to conceal the presence of North Korean military personnel.

Reclaiming Kursk is high on Moscow's agenda but comments by Valery Gerasimov failed to address the continuing presence of Ukrainian troops on Russian soil.

Moscow has intensified its attacks on Ukrainian forces battling to hold an enclave in Russia's Kursk region and increased pressure in Ukraine's eastern Donetsk region, Ukraine's top army commander said on Tuesday.

Six people were killed and ten more were hospitalized in the Friday strike, Kursk acting Governor Alexander Khinshtein said.

At least one person was killed and Ukrainian Vice Prime Minister Oleksii Kuleba said that heating was disrupted for 155 residential buildings.

Russia's available manpower is estimated at a staggering 69.4 million, overshadowing Ukraine's 22.8 million, highlighting the stark difference in their resources.

Last night, the Armed Forces of Ukraine attacked the command post of the 810th Separate Marine Brigade in Russia's Lgov, Kursk region. Russia suffered losses among officers, according to the Ukrainian Armed Forces Strategic Communications.

The Ukrainian defence forces targeted a command post of the Russian 810th Guards Naval Infantry Brigade in Lgov, Russiaʼs Kursk Oblast. Source: Centre for Strategic Communications (StratCom) of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) on Facebook;

The presence of North Korean soldiers alongside Russian troops in the Russian region of Kursk has not yet had a major impact on the course of the fighting, a Ukrainian military intelligence official told AFP on Tuesday.