Ukraine claims nearly 17,300 Russian troops have been killed since Russian invasion began

Amid the ongoing Russian aggression against Ukraine, the armed forces of the war-torn nation claimed that the Putin-led administration has lost nearly 17,300 troops so far in the invasion which commenced on February 24. Over 600 tanks, 75 fuel tanks, 131 helicopters, as well as 1,700 armoured personnel vehicles have been destroyed, according to Ukraine's regular update on Russian losses. Taking to Twitter, Ukraine's defence ministry revealed the latest numbers.  

Apart from the ministry, the Permanent Representative of Ukraine to the United Nations Sergiy Kyslytsya has even clarified the figures to the UN Security Council on Tuesday, by saying, “Since the beginning of invasion (Russia) have lost...over 300 artillery systems, 127 planes and 129 helicopters, almost 100 rocket launcher systems, 54 air defence systems and 7 ships,” Independent reported. According to the envoy, this is an "unprecedented blow to Moscow, where the numbers of Soviet losses in Afghanistan pale in comparison”.  

NATO estimates Russian loss in war

Meanwhile, as of March 24, approximately 7,000 to 15,000 Russian troops were believed to have died, according to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). The evaluation was based on data from Ukrainian officials, what Russia has provided, and information obtained from open sources, as per a top NATO military officer. The NATO source spoke on the condition of anonymity, using NATO's ground rules, according to the Associated Press. 

Further, Ukraine has released very little information regarding Ukrainian soldiers' casualties, whereas the West has not supplied an estimate. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has earlier claimed that around 1,300 Ukrainian forces have been killed. 

However, a coalition official told NBC News that 40,000 Russian troops were killed, injured, jailed, or disappeared in the first month of Moscow's fight in Ukraine. Moreover, Russian officials have repeatedly refused to reveal how many of their troops had died as a result of the fighting in Ukraine.  

In addition to this, according to the Kyiv Independent, Russia has been transferring 2,000 troops from occupied Georgia to Ukraine. According to the Ukrainian military, at least five battalion tactical units were dispatched from military locations in Russian-occupied South Ossetia and Abkhazia to bolster the Russian force amid the Russia-Ukraine war. 

Image: AP