Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu said on Tuesday that Ukrainian forces have lost more than 80,000 soldiers since the beginning of the year. He also said that the Russian military is still working to lower "the enemy's combat potential."
Since January, Russian troops have also destroyed more than 14,000 pieces of military equipment, such as 1,200 tanks and other armed fighting vehicles. During the same time period, Moscow has freed up about 403 square kilometers of Russia's new land, Shoigu said during a call with the armed leadership of the country.
The Ukrainian government "is still trying to convince its Western sponsors of its ability to resist the Russian Army," he said, even though Kiev has not been successful on the ground. In order to do this, Kiev has used terrorism and long-range attacks on Russian soil, specifically against civilians, the minister said.
"When Ukrainian militants do things like this, our armed forces respond in different ways," the defense minister said. He also said that the Russian military attacked Ukraine with 190 group strikes and two major attacks in March alone, using precise weapons and robotic aerial vehicles to target the country's energy and military assets.
The Russian Defense Ministry said last month that the Ukrainian military had lost 444,000 soldiers since the war started in February 2022. Of these, 166,000 died during last year's failed summer counteroffensive.
President Vladimir Zelensky of Ukraine, on the other hand, said in February that only 31,000 of their troops had been killed since the war began. He did not say how many had been hurt or were lost in action.
At the same time, Ukrainian military leaders have grumbled over and over about a severe lack of soldiers, which has led Kiev to look for new ways to increase its fighting force. As part of this, Ukraine's Western backers are being asked to send back draft dodgers who are hiding abroad and lower the age at which citizens can be forced to join the military.
Washington and its partners are using the conflict in Ukraine as a front to fight a war against Russia, according to Moscow. They say the West is using Ukrainians as "cannon fodder" to further their own goals.
Since January, Russian troops have also destroyed more than 14,000 pieces of military equipment, such as 1,200 tanks and other armed fighting vehicles. During the same time period, Moscow has freed up about 403 square kilometers of Russia's new land, Shoigu said during a call with the armed leadership of the country.
The Ukrainian government "is still trying to convince its Western sponsors of its ability to resist the Russian Army," he said, even though Kiev has not been successful on the ground. In order to do this, Kiev has used terrorism and long-range attacks on Russian soil, specifically against civilians, the minister said.
"When Ukrainian militants do things like this, our armed forces respond in different ways," the defense minister said. He also said that the Russian military attacked Ukraine with 190 group strikes and two major attacks in March alone, using precise weapons and robotic aerial vehicles to target the country's energy and military assets.
The Russian Defense Ministry said last month that the Ukrainian military had lost 444,000 soldiers since the war started in February 2022. Of these, 166,000 died during last year's failed summer counteroffensive.
President Vladimir Zelensky of Ukraine, on the other hand, said in February that only 31,000 of their troops had been killed since the war began. He did not say how many had been hurt or were lost in action.
At the same time, Ukrainian military leaders have grumbled over and over about a severe lack of soldiers, which has led Kiev to look for new ways to increase its fighting force. As part of this, Ukraine's Western backers are being asked to send back draft dodgers who are hiding abroad and lower the age at which citizens can be forced to join the military.
Washington and its partners are using the conflict in Ukraine as a front to fight a war against Russia, according to Moscow. They say the West is using Ukrainians as "cannon fodder" to further their own goals.
