Ukraine has launched a new offensive in Russia’s Kursk region, according to the Kremlin.

The attack looks to be an effort to seize new territory after Ukrainian troops swept across the border in a shock offensive in the same region in August, claiming control of almost 500 sq miles (around 1,300 sq km) and taking hundreds of prisoners of war.

The Kremlin has since taken back a chunk of its own land but struggled to fully expel the invading troops, even deploying thousands of North Korean soldiers in recent weeks.

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy has previously spoken of his plans to hold onto the territory and use it as a bargaining chip in potential peace talks.

In a statement, the Russian defence ministry said Ukraine launched the attack on Sunday morning with an assault group consisting of two tanks, a mine clearing vehicle, and twelve armoured combat vehicles with paratroops.

“Artillery and aviation of the North group of [Russian] forces defeated the assault group of the Ukrainian Armed Forces,” it added, claiming two Ukrainian attacks had been repelled.

In a Telegram update, Andriy Kovalenko, head of Ukraine’s Centre for Countering Disinformation, said: “The Defence Forces are actively working. The situation in the Kursk region seems to be causing significant concern among the Russians, as they were unexpectedly attacked on several fronts.”

Andriy Yermak, head of Ukraine’s Presidential Office, said: “Kursk region, good news: Russia is getting what it deserves.”

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Reports from Russia’s influential war bloggers, who support Moscow’s war in Ukraine but have often reported critically on failings and setbacks, suggested that the latest Ukrainian assault had put Russian forces on the defensive.

“Despite strong pressure from the enemy, our units are heroically holding the line,” the Operativnye Svodki (Operational Reports) channel said.

It said artillery and small-arms battles were taking place, and Ukraine was using Western-armoured vehicles to bring in large numbers of infantry.

The defence ministry and bloggers said fighting was concentrated just north of a highway that runs from Sudzha, near the border, to Kursk, the regional capital.

One prominent blogger, Yuri Podolyak, said this was most likely a Ukrainian distraction manoeuvre, possibly to prepare a strike on Glushkovo, further west, and he urged civilians there and in another town, Korenevo, to evacuate.

The offensive follows months of setbacks for Ukraine. Since the surprise incursion into Russia in August, the military has been beset by low morale and manpower amid a barrage of Russian attacks.

Thousands of people have braved freezing temperatures and snow to protest both for and against South Korea’s president outside his residence in Seoul.

A warrant was last week issued for the arrest of President Yoon Suk Yeol over the short-lived marital law decree he issued in early December 2023.

The conservative president, seemingly frustrated that his policies were being blocked, declared martial law and ordered troops to surround South Korea‘s National Assembly on 3 December.

The Assembly unanimously overturned the declaration in a matter of hours and impeached Mr Yoon, accusing him of rebellion, on 14 December.

At the same time, anti-corruption authorities and public prosecutors opened separate investigations into the events.

Last Tuesday, a Seoul court issued warrants for Mr Yoon’s detention and for his home to be searched – but enforcing them while he remains inside the residence is complicated.

Dozens of officials failed in their attempt to execute the warrants on Friday when they were forced to retreat after a six-hour standoff with the presidential security service.

Ahead of the warrants expiring at midnight on Monday (3pm GMT) thousands of anti-Yoon protesters rallied near the gates of the presidential residence on Sunday, while pro-Yoon groups gathered in a nearby street. They were separated by police barricades.

Some of the demonstrators had gathered overnight, when temperatures fell below -5°C amid a heavy snow warning.

Speaking on stage at the anti-Yoon rally, activist Kim Eun-jeong said: “The presidential security service continues to hide a criminal.”

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Nearby, Mr Yoon’s supporters held placards with messages including “We will fight for President Yoon Suk Yeol” and “Stop the Steal” – a phrase popularised by Donald Trump supporters after his 2020 election loss.

At the residence itself, security staff were seen installing barbed wire, possibly in preparation to fend off another arrest attempt.

The president’s lawyers have claimed the arrest warrant is unconstitutional because the CIO, which is leading the criminal investigation, has no authority to investigate insurrection allegations.

Mr Yoon’s defence minister, police chief and several top military commanders have so far been arrested for their roles in the martial law controversy.

Hamas has released a video of a 19-year-old Israeli hostage amid a renewed push for a ceasefire in Gaza.

In an undated recording, Liri Albag – one of five female soldiers kidnapped in Hamas’s October 7 attack – speaks under duress and shares her anguish at having been held for 450 days.

Speaking in Hebrew, she calls for the Israeli government to secure her release and says: “Today is the beginning of a new year; the whole world is celebrating. Only we are entering a dark year, a year of loneliness.”

Ms Albag – who has turned 19 while being held hostage – adds that a fellow, unnamed captive has been injured. “We are living in an extremely terrifying nightmare,” she says.

The teenager’s family said the video has “torn our hearts to pieces”.

“This is not the daughter and sister we know. Her severe psychological distress is evident,” they said in a statement shared by the Hostages and Missing Families Forum.

The family has not given permission for the video of Ms Albag to be shared publicly but they have authorised the release of two photos.

Ms Albag’s loved ones are calling on the Israeli government and world leaders to use the current ceasefire talks to bring all remaining hostages back alive.

“It’s time to make decisions as if your own children were there,” they said.

The office for Israel‘s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, said he has spoken Ms Albag’s parents and told them efforts to bring hostages home are “ongoing, including at this very moment”.

“Anyone who dares to harm our hostages will bear full responsibility for their actions,” he said.

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Roughly 250 people were taken hostage by Hamas on 7 October 2023 and as of December last year, 96 remained in the group’s custody.

Israel’s subsequent military offensive in Gaza has killed at least 45,805 Palestinians, according to the territory’s Hamas-run health ministry.

It said 88 people have been killed in the past 24 hours. At least 17 were killed in airstrikes on homes in Gaza City on Saturday.

Several children were among those who died, medics said.

Hamas’s video of Ms Albag, and Israel’s airstrikes, come amid a fresh push for an agreement to end the conflict in Gaza.

Israeli representatives arrived in Doha, Qatar, on Friday to resume indirect ceasefire talks brokered by Qatari and Egyptian mediators.

Hamas has said it is committed to reaching an agreement, but it is unclear how close the two sides are.

Joe Biden, whose US presidency comes to an end in just over a fortnight’s time, has urged Hamas to agree a deal – while president-elect Donald Trump has said there will “be hell to pay” in Gaza if the hostages are not released before his inauguration on 20 January.