4,300 Russian troops killed &146 tanks destroyed amid invasion: Ukraine Defence Ministry

Ukraine on Sunday released a tally of casualties and damage inflicted on the Russian invading forces by the Ukrainian army. Speaking at a session of the Security Council, Ukraine’s delegate Sergey Kiseltsya stated that Moscow's aggression against Kyiv is based on lies and violations of international law, stressing that Russia uses in the military operation all kinds of heavy weapons, including missiles. 

Kiseltsya revealed that around 4,300 Russian soldiers had been killed in combat during the first three days of the invasion of Ukraine by Moscow. Separately, taking to Facebook, Ukrainian Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Malyar also informed that Russian troops lost about 146 tanks, 27 aircraft and 26 helicopters. 

On the other hand, the Russian army on Sunday admitted that there were “killed and injured” soldiers among its troops in Ukraine on the fourth day of Russia-Ukraine war. While speaking on state television, Moscow’s army spokesman Igor Konashenkov stated that Russian servicemen are showing “courage and heroism” while fulfilling combat tasks in the special military operation. 

A Russian army spokesman informed that its troops have captured 471 Ukrainian soldiers during the fighting in Ukraine. Igor Konashenkov said that since February 24 morning, 975 military targets have been destroyed, eight fighter planes and seven helicopters, as well as 11 combat drones, had been shot down. Another 28 aircraft were also destroyed on the ground, along with 223 tanks and other combat vehicles, Konashenkov said. However, he did not give any information on the number of soldiers killed in the Russian ranks. 

Ukraine-Russia war 

Meanwhile, it is to mention that at present, there is a situation of severe devastation in Ukraine. Several people have lost their lives in the war and many people have been seriously injured. Amid such rising tensions, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Sunday said that he was willing to hold talks with Russia in Belarus, but he also added that he did not have a strong belief in the success of the negotiations. 

Russian President Vladimir Putin, on the other hand,  has ordered Russian nuclear forces to be on high alert in reply to what he called "aggressive statements" by leading NATO powers. Speaking at a meeting with his top officials, Putin directed the Russian defence minister and the chief of the military’s General Staff to put the nuclear deterrent forces in a "special regime of combat duty". Russia has also alleged that Ukraine was using "chemical weapons" in the form of banned phosphorous munitions outside Kyiv.

(Image: AP)