On November 20, a missile strike targeted an underground facility at a sanatorium belonging to the russian Presidential Affairs Directorate in Maryino, Kursk Oblast, reportedly resulting in significant casualties among russian and North Korean military personnel.
As Defense Express previously speculated, the nature of the target and the deployment of multiple cruise missiles strongly suggested the objective was a gathering of senior russian and North Korean command staff.
Read more: Command Post of the russian North Troops Group Was Hit in russia’s Belgorod Region
Unofficial confirmations began emerging a day after the strike. The Telegram channel Spy Dossier (dosye_shpiona), known for its insider information, reported that the attack on the command post killed 18 military personnel and injured 33 others. Among the wounded were three North Korean military representatives: two male officers and a female medic, although it is more plausible that she was serving as a translator.
The casualties reportedly included numerous russian officers from the Southern and Eastern Military Districts. Among them was Lieutenant General Valery Solodchuk, First Deputy Commander of the Leningrad Military District and former commander of the 1st Army Corps of the so-called DPR in 2014.
Furthermore, during an effort to neutralize unexploded ordnance, 13 russian sappers were injured, including the deputy chief of staff of the 88th Mechanized Brigade.
The presence of such high-ranking personnel during the post-strike cleanup may indicate that the casualties extended beyond officers and a single general.
Read more: russians Prepared for Possible ATACMS Strikes, But Not Where They Actually Happened
