The number of Ukrainian soldiers killed on the battlefield in the four years of war with Russia is 55,000, President Volodymyr Zelensky has said. Zelensky announced the figure in an interview with France 2 TV on Wednesday. Additionally, a large number of people are considered officially missing, he said.
While both Kyiv and Moscow have regularly published estimates of the other side's losses, they have been reluctant to detail their own. However, the BBC has confirmed the names of almost 160,000 people killed fighting on Russia's side in Ukraine.
US President Donald Trump has been leading efforts to end the war that began with Russia's full-scale invasion of its neighbour on 22 February 2022. Special US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner held talks with Russian and Ukrainian negotiators in Abu Dhabi for a second day on Thursday in an attempt to finalize a US-proposed peace deal.
The most difficult issue on the table remains territory, with Russia demanding that Ukraine cedes control of the eastern industrial region of Donbas. Trump often states that thousands of Ukrainians and Russians die unnecessarily each week, while Western intelligence agencies report unverifiable estimates.
The most recent casualty figures previously shared by Zelensky were in December 2024, when he indicated 43,000 deaths. In his recent interview, he confirmed that the official number of soldiers lost stands at 55,000, emphasizing that many soldiers are also registered as missing, raising concerns over the true total.
As of six months ago, over 70,000 individuals were recorded as officially missing, a figure encompassing both soldiers and civilians. This ambiguity highlights the sensitivity surrounding casualty figures, which significantly affect morale in Ukraine.
Ukrainian military graves are now common in cemeteries across the nation, marked with national flags and images of the fallen. The grief of mothers searching for their sons, presumed missing in battle, demonstrates the personal toll of the conflict.
Diplomatic talks continue amidst renewed Russian attacks targeting Ukraine's energy sector, exacerbating the humanitarian crisis as temperatures plummet.
While both Kyiv and Moscow have regularly published estimates of the other side's losses, they have been reluctant to detail their own. However, the BBC has confirmed the names of almost 160,000 people killed fighting on Russia's side in Ukraine.
US President Donald Trump has been leading efforts to end the war that began with Russia's full-scale invasion of its neighbour on 22 February 2022. Special US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner held talks with Russian and Ukrainian negotiators in Abu Dhabi for a second day on Thursday in an attempt to finalize a US-proposed peace deal.
The most difficult issue on the table remains territory, with Russia demanding that Ukraine cedes control of the eastern industrial region of Donbas. Trump often states that thousands of Ukrainians and Russians die unnecessarily each week, while Western intelligence agencies report unverifiable estimates.
The most recent casualty figures previously shared by Zelensky were in December 2024, when he indicated 43,000 deaths. In his recent interview, he confirmed that the official number of soldiers lost stands at 55,000, emphasizing that many soldiers are also registered as missing, raising concerns over the true total.
As of six months ago, over 70,000 individuals were recorded as officially missing, a figure encompassing both soldiers and civilians. This ambiguity highlights the sensitivity surrounding casualty figures, which significantly affect morale in Ukraine.
Ukrainian military graves are now common in cemeteries across the nation, marked with national flags and images of the fallen. The grief of mothers searching for their sons, presumed missing in battle, demonstrates the personal toll of the conflict.
Diplomatic talks continue amidst renewed Russian attacks targeting Ukraine's energy sector, exacerbating the humanitarian crisis as temperatures plummet.
