1,351 Russian soldiers have been killed since the Russian invasion of Ukraine. After more than a month of fighting, the Russian Defense Ministry released the latest figures on Friday.
Moscow reported 498 killed soldiers in early March. But, according to Ukraine and Western countries, the actual number is much higher. The government in Kyiv speaks of more than 15,000 dead. In the West, including the NATO alliance, there are estimates of 7,000 to 15,000 Russians killed.
Among the dead are said to be six senior Russian officers, including generals. By comparison, the number of Russian soldiers who died in the Afghan war between 1979 and 1989 is around 15,000.
The defence ministry in Moscow says its “special operation” in Ukraine will focus on the complete “liberation” of the eastern Donbas region. Many Russian-speaking Ukrainians live there, and two areas of pro-Russian rebels have split off since 2014.
The department does not rule out the army’s possibility of storming Ukrainian cities that do not surrender. However, the main goals of the first phase of the operation would have been achieved.