Zelenskyy announces Ukraine's losses in war for first time
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy (Photo: Dmytro Semeniuk, RBC-Ukraine)
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, during his press conference, stated that in Ukraine's war against Russia, 31 thousand Ukrainian servicemen have perished.
According to the President, each loss of a Ukrainian in the war against Russia is a great tragedy for Ukraine.
"Each person is a great loss for us. Thirty-one thousand Ukrainian servicemen have perished in this war. Not 300 thousand or 150 thousand, as Putin lies. But each loss is a big loss for us. Russians - 180 thousand perished. In total, the losses of the dead and wounded in the Russian Federation amount to up to 500, including the wounded. Ukrainians - 31 thousand. I won't say how many are wounded because Russia will know how many have left the battlefield," Zelenskyy said.
The President noted that in Ukraine, there are missing persons who perished. However, this number will not be announced.
"Previous exchanges showed that a few guys who went missing have returned alive. We don't know how many civilians they killed (in the occupied territories - ed.). We will find out when we finish with Russia," he said.
War crimes of Russians in Ukraine
In December, the video footage of Ukrainian prisoners of war being used as a "living shield" on the contact line in the Zaporizhzhia region was recorded. Media spread images showing Russians leading unarmed POWs of the Armed Forces of Ukraine at gunpoint toward Ukrainian positions, using them as cover.
Also, on March 6, the network was shocked by a video published by Russian occupiers. The invaders filmed the execution of a Ukrainian prisoner of war after his words, "Glory to Ukraine."
Ukraine has handed over to representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross and the United Nations a verified video recording showing the use of Ukrainian prisoners of war as a "living shield" on the contact line. However, international institutions ignored the information.
Losses of Russia in the war
The Russian leadership conceals the losses of its troops in the war of aggression against Ukraine. According to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, more than 400 thousand invaders have already been eliminated since the beginning of the full-scale invasion.
At the same time, British intelligence emphasizes that in 2023, the losses of Russians increased. Moscow will need up to 10 years to restore a professional army.
Russian opposition media have confirmed a list of over 43 thousand Russian soldiers who died in the war, including at least 3 thousand officers. It is emphasized that the actual losses of the Russian army are much higher.
