In a bid to dispute the ‘incalculable loss narrative Western analysts and media are attributing to Russia in its so-called special military operation in Ukraine, a spokesman from the Kremlin has laid out the figures.
Gen. Igor Konashenkov said on Wednesday 498 Russian soldiers have died so far, and 1,597 had wounds, adding there are no conscripts among Russian soldiers.
He said families of the fallen soldiers are getting necessary assistance.
This was the first time Russia would be announcing its casualty figures since President Vladimir Putin ordered what many called the invasion.
US officials analyzing the crisis said Russia could have lost between 3 percent and five percent of its materiel, and Ukraine 10 percent in the seven-day war.
Although Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has been reeling out Russian mortality figures—the last he claimed was 6000 dead, and platoons of conscripts surrendering . How he got the figures was not stated.
Apart from the Kharkiv shelling that media reported as killing 70 Ukrainian soldiers, there have been not many media report of Ukrainian soldiers dying—except civilian deaths.
While the UN claims an estimate of 136 civilians killed in Russia’s shelling, Ukraine said it was over 2000.
Konahenkov also stated his own Ukrainian casualty figures: 3,700 and 572 captured. How accurate his figures of the fallen enemies are could not be verified.