As of: February 26, 2024, 5:08 a.m
By: Patrick Mayer
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Volodymyr Zelenskyj provides for the first time information on the number of Ukrainian soldiers killed in the war with Russia.
Meanwhile, Moscow's army advances.
Kiev – How many lives has the Ukraine war cost so far?
Kiev kept a low profile on this issue for a long time, at least when it came to its own losses.
Until now.
On Sunday (February 25), President Volodymyr Zelenskyj announced the number of Ukrainian soldiers killed for the first time.
Volodymyr Zelensky: Apparently 31,000 Ukrainian soldiers were killed
Specifically: According to Zelenskyj, 31,000 Ukrainian soldiers were killed in combat in the two years of war between February 24, 2022 and February 24, 2024.
The Americans and Russia, on the other hand, spoke of an alleged 100,000 to 300,000 Ukrainian soldiers killed.
Zelensky said at a press conference in the capital: “This is all nonsense.” However, the 46-year-old politician did not want to comment on the number of wounded soldiers.
According to him, 180,000 Russian soldiers were killed and 500,000 Moscow soldiers were wounded.
Said information cannot be independently verified.
Ukraine complains about heavy losses.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyj (right) places flowers at a military cemetery with Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen.
© IMAGO / Ritzau Scanpix
Ukraine War: Russia's army continues to advance near Avdiivka
In the same press conference, Zelensky pushed for the release of blocked US military aid worth a rumored $61 billion.
“You know that we need support within a month,” said the President in the direction of Washington, while the Russian army is currently attempting a major attack on four axes towards the city of Kharkiv (around 1.5 million inhabitants) and Moldova is attempting another fears annexation of Moscow.
After taking Avdiivka, the Russian armed forces are preparing for further advances in the area around the Donbas city, according to their Defense Ministry.
The Russian capital said on Sunday that the troops had taken up more advantageous positions near the recently conquered eastern Ukrainian city.
As
Ukrainska Pravda
reported, the Russians also captured the village of Lastochkyne, around 2.5 kilometers west of Avdiivka, over the weekend.
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Ukraine war: Volodymyr Zelenskyj speaks of a new counteroffensive
Meanwhile, more and more Ukrainian units are publicly complaining that they allegedly had to leave hundreds of wounded soldiers behind in the completely destroyed industrial city.
ZDF had reported rumors that more than 800 Ukrainians remained in Avdiivka.
An infantryman named Oleh, for example, told
The Kyiv Independent
about an alleged order: “There will be no evacuation.
Leave the 300 (
wounded, editor
) behind.”
Oleh described that he himself had to leave several wounded behind in a bunker in Zenit, a former air defense base.
While there is criticism of the General Staff in the country after the chaotic withdrawal from Avdiivka, Zelensky has spoken of a new possible counter-offensive.
“There is a plan.
The plan is clear, but I cannot give you any details,” he said at the press conference in Kiev.
However, the Ukrainians are currently clearly on the defensive, on many fronts.
(pm)