Up to 13,000 Ukrainian soldiers have died in the war in Ukraine according to a tally by Kiev, which diverges significantly from that of the US.
Russians react to Ukrainian advances, but they pay a heavy price.
Videos posted on social media show Russian troops in the areas around the Buckhmut in the eastern region of Donetsk they are suffering heavy losses, although they are occupying some territory, especially in the south of the city.
Some Ukrainian military drone footage shows Russian troops in trenches being bombarded by drones. Other videos show dead bodies of Russian soldiers in the countryside.
A video shot by the Ukrainian military and posted on Telegram shows different weapons systems being used in a coordinated attack on Russian positions, including 155mm shells and mortars. In other videos, it appears that Russian positions have little protection and are exposed to Ukrainian fire in the open countryside.
Russian forces have been attacking the area around Bakhmut for months – and more recently have sent new, but less experienced, units to the front lines.
Some Russian units—including those associated with the Wagner Group—appear to have made gradual progress, taking a number of small villages to the south of the city. On Thursday, the Russian Defense Ministry said that, “as a result of the aggressive actions of the Russian troops, the Kurdiumivka settlement of the Donetsk People’s Republic was completely liberated from the units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.”
The Ministry of Defense had announced the capture of three other settlements — but they are all small villages.
“Up to 13,000 Ukrainian soldiers dead”
Up to 13,000 Ukrainian soldiers have died in the war that began on February 24, according to Kiev’s tally.
Mykhailo Podoliak, an adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, said that between 10,000 and 13,000 soldiers were killed.
In June, Mykhailo Podoliak reported, 100 to 200 Ukrainian soldiers were losing their lives every day.
“Speaking to Ukrainian broadcaster Channel 24, Mr Podoliak said that Kyiv was ‘talking openly about the death toll.’
“We have official assessments from the General Staff, official assessments from the commander in chief [Ζελένσκι] and range from 10,000 to 12,500-13,000 dead,” he said.
Last month, the chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Mark Miley, said that about 100,000 Russian and 100,000 Ukrainian soldiers have been killed or wounded since the start of the war.
In a video speech on Wednesday, European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen also said 100,000 Ukrainian soldiers had been killed. However, a representative of the European Commission later clarified that it was a mistake and the number refers to those killed and injured.
CNN – BBC
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