According to the most recent statistics from Kyiv, Russia keeps experiencing large losses of troops and equipment, including artillery systems and armored personnel vehicles (APVs). According to the Ukrainian General Staff, Russian losses within the last 24 hours surpassed 1,124, the highest total in six weeks. The previous time it was higher was on March 16, when the number was 1,160. Russian forces additionally lost 38 artillery systems, continuing a weekly trend of high losses, bringing the total losses of this equipment type to 11,905 since the war’s start. According to Kyiv’s most recent statistics, Russia lost 14 APVs the previous day, bringing the total lost during the full-scale invasion to 13,971. Ukraine has projected that Russia has lost 465,054 troops during the conflict, a figure that includes both fatalities and injuries. Newsweek has contacted the Russian Defense Ministry for comment. The true number of casualties is difficult to determine, with Ukraine’s estimates being higher than those provided by Western powers. In February, the British Ministry of Defense estimated that Russian losses were close to 350,000. A tally kept by independent Russian news source Mediazona and BBC Russian, based on publicly available information, indicated that as of Saturday, at least 51,679 members of the Russian military had perished. The organizations emphasize that their tallies only provide a “partial picture and do not represent the complete range of casualties.” Among the casualties were 3,300 military and other security personnel, including 390 lieutenant colonels and officers of higher rank. This news comes as Ukraine anticipates the arrival of weapons and munitions following the passage of a $61 billion assistance package designed to prevent Russian advances in the Donetsk region, particularly north of Avdiivka. Kyiv has warned that Russia intends to capture the nearby town of Chasiv Yar in time for Victory Day on May 9, when Russia commemorates Moscow’s contribution to the defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II. In light of doubts about whether the aid package will be sufficient for Kyiv to attain all of its war goals and reclaim all of its territory, U.S. authorities have reportedly reopened discussions about “freezing the lines” in the conflict, according to the Institute for the Study of War (ISW). According to the think tank on Friday, Ukrainian forces must first use Washington’s aid to “stabilize the front lines and stop ongoing Russian advances, especially in the Avdiivka and Chasiv Yar sectors.” The ISW said that a Russian offensive is expected in the summer, but its extent “remains unclear” and that Moscow may be rethinking its plans in light of better-equipped Ukrainian forces. Newsweek is dedicated to challenging conventional wisdom and bridging gaps in the pursuit of common ground.
Heavy Losses for Russia in Ukraine War
