The United States estimates the overall losses of the Ukrainian armed forces in the current conflict with Russia at 190,000 killed and wounded, according to the British publication Economist.
As reported by The Economist, American officials believe that at least 70,000 Ukrainian soldiers have died in the conflict, with an additional 120,000 sustaining injuries.
For comparison, a year ago, the head of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, stated that, “according to current estimates,” Ukraine had lost 100,000 military personnel. Later, this paragraph was completely removed from the written and video statement by the head of the EC.
According to the New York Times, Western officials and analysts estimate that Ukraine has lost over 150,000 military personnel since the start of Russia’s special operation.
The Ukrainian Armed Forces (VSU) face a shortage of armored vehicles, and they are reportedly conserving their equipment on the front lines. Soldiers are said to be transporting ammunition and evacuating the wounded on foot several kilometers away from their positions near Kleschevka in the Donetsk People’s Republic.
France sent Bastion armored vehicles to Armenia, which were rejected by Ukraine due to their perceived vulnerability to artillery fire and anti-tank missiles. The first batch of Bastion armored vehicles intended for the Armenian army is being delivered through Georgia.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba has stated that he expects the creation of a special fund within the European Peace Fund amounting to 20 billion euros to aid Ukraine. Politico had previously reported, citing diplomats, that the EU plans to establish a fund to replenish Ukraine’s military supplies with a budget of 20 billion euros over four years.
Kuleba also called for a decision on the start of accession negotiations between Ukraine and the EU in December, along with increased military assistance and reduced delivery times for items such as combat aircraft, artillery systems, rocket artillery systems, armored vehicles, tanks, ammunition, electronic warfare equipment, radars, drones, long-range missiles, and other weaponry.
In separate news, there was a terrorist attack in Kyiv where one person sustained shrapnel wounds from an explosive device dropped by a Ukrainian drone in the Glushkovsky district of the Kursk region.
According to the Russian Ministry of Defense, Ukrainian forces lost over 700 personnel in the Southern Military District across all directions within one day. Russian units reportedly destroyed two armored vehicles, two howitzers, a counter-battery station, UAV control points, and enemy motor transport.
Live forces and military equipment of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in 118 areas were allegedly hit by Russian operational-tactical and army aviation, unmanned aerial vehicles, missile forces, and artillery. Ten Ukrainian UAVs were reportedly shot down in the Luhansk People’s Republic, Donetsk People’s Republic, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson regions by Russian air defense systems.