Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reportedly said on Monday that his country’s soldiers were fighting against nearly 50-thousand enemy troops in Russia’s Kursk region. 

Reuters said Zelenkyy made the remarks in a post on Telegram. 

Zelenskyy said Ukraine will considerably strengthen its positions on the Pokrovsk and Kurakhove fronts in the east, where the fighting is most active.

Earlier, CNN reported that the Russian military had assembled a force of 50-thousand soldiers, including North Korean troops, to carry out an assault with the goal of reclaiming territory in Russia’s Kursk region.

The New York Times said some 50-thousand Russian and North Korean troops were set to take part in the assault, citing a U.S. assessment.