Ukraine’s Defense Minister, Oleksii Reznikov, has apologized to Turkey for comparing the death toll of the war with Russia to that of the devastating February 6 earthquake.

“Ukrainians feel sympathy for the Turkish people,” assured Mr. Reznikov on Monday via Twitter.

Mr. Reznikov said in an interview with the Spanish newspaper La Razón that the losses of the Ukrainian army in the war that broke out in February 2022, when the Russian army invaded his country’s territory, are lower than the victims of the devastating earthquake which hit Turkey on February 6, 2023.

In Turkey alone, the devastating earthquake killed over 50,000 people.

Ukrainians “understand what it’s like to bury thousands of innocent people – friends and neighbors,” Mr. Reznikov said. “I am grateful to Turkish friends for their unwavering support and strong stance on Crimea after the Russian invasion began.”

Turkey is playing a mediator role in the Russia-Ukraine war. However, it supplied the Ukrainian military with UAVs and armored vehicles, among other things.