Russia senator claims troops fighting in Ukraine suffered 'heavy losses'

A Russian senator on Friday claimed some of the military units fighting in Ukraine had sustained heavy losses. Lyudmila Narusova told the upper house of parliament that she knew of one 100-strong company where "only four were left alive." She suggested that they included conscripts who had either been "forced to sign contracts or had them signed for them." Narusova, the widow of President Vladimir Putin's former political mentor Anatoly Sobchak, did not present evidence for her claims. She did say that the Defense Ministry had refused her request to confirm the reported casualties.

On Wednesday, Russia said 498 of its troops had been killed in Ukraine, but it has not updated that number since. Ukraine claims that the true number of Russian casualties is far higher. Russian officials have denied media reports of conscripts or cadets being involved in the operation in Ukraine.