Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that 31,000 Ukrainian soldiers have been killed in action in the two years since Russia launched its full-scale invasion. Zelenskyy said that the number was far lower than estimates given by Russian President Vladimir Putin’s government.
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- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that 31,000 Ukrainian soldiers have died since the onset of Russia’s full-scale invasion two years ago, a figure significantly lower than the estimates proposed by the Russian government.
- Zelenskyy criticized the inflated casualty numbers circulated by Putin’s administration, emphasizing that each loss is profoundly felt in Ukraine.
- During the “Ukraine. Year 2024” forum in Kyiv, Zelenskyy refrained from disclosing the number of wounded or missing Ukrainian troops and mentioned that tens of thousands of civilians have been killed in occupied Ukrainian territories, though exact numbers are yet to be determined.
- This announcement marks the first official acknowledgment by Kyiv of its military casualties since the conflict escalated in February 2022.
- In contrast, Russia’s official casualty figures have been sparse, with the latest Defense Ministry report from January 2023 citing just over 6,000 military deaths, a number much lower than estimates from U.S. and U.K. officials, which suggest significantly higher Russian casualties.
- A U.S. intelligence report estimated that 315,000 Russian troops had been killed or wounded, representing a substantial portion of Russia’s pre-war military strength.
- Independent investigations by Russian news outlets Mediazona and Meduza report that Russia’s military losses continue at a steady pace, with approximately 75,000 Russian soldiers dying in 2022 and 2023, and an ongoing rate of about 120 fatalities per day.
The Associated Press has the story:
Zelenskyy: 31,000 Ukrainian troops killed since start of Russia’s full-scale invasion
Newslooks- KYIV, Ukraine (AP) —
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that 31,000 Ukrainian soldiers have been killed in action in the two years since Russia launched its full-scale invasion.
Zelenskyy said that the number was far lower than estimates given by Russian President Vladimir Putin’s government.
“31,000 Ukrainian military personnel have been killed in this war. Not 300,000, not 150,000, not whatever Putin and his deceitful circle have been lying about. But nevertheless, each of these losses is a great sacrifice for us”, Zelenskyy said at the “Ukraine. Year 2024” forum in Kyiv.
The Ukrainian leader said that he wouldn’t disclose the number of troops that were wounded or missing. He also said that “tens of thousands of civilians” had been killed in occupied areas of Ukraine, but said that no exact figures would be available until the war was over.
“We don’t know how many of our civilians they killed. We don’t,” he said.
It’s the first time that Kyiv has confirmed the number of its losses since the start of Russia’s full-scale war on Feb. 24, 2022.
Russia has provided few official casualty figures. The most recent data from the Defense Ministry, published in January 2023, pointed to just over 6,000 deaths, although reports from U.S. and U.K. officials put that number significantly higher.
A U.S. intelligence report declassified in mid-December 2023 estimated that 315,000 Russian troops had been killed or wounded in Ukraine. If accurate, the figure would represent 87% of the roughly 360,000 troops Russia had before the war, according to the report.
Independent Russian news outlet Mediazona said Saturday that about 75,000 Russian men died in 2022 and 2023 fighting in the war.
A joint investigation published by Mediazona and Meduza, another independent Russian news site, indicates that the rate of Russia’s losses in Ukraine is not slowing and that Moscow is losing about 120 men a day.
