Ukraine's MFA Addresses Recent Reports of Ukrainian Battlefield Losses

On September 17, The Wall Street Journal published an article stating figures of losses from both sides of Russia’s war in Ukraine. According to the publication, the number of casualties on Ukraine’s army are 80,000 soldiers killed and 400,000 wounded, while Russian losses are estimated 200,000 killed and 400,000 wounded.

The spokesperson for the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Heorhii Tykhyi, addressed the question of Ukraine’s military losses while speaking at the regular briefing by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on September 17.

“Unfortunately, I will disappoint you again because we are – this is a decision of the Ukrainian military leadership - until the war is not over, we are not disclosing the exact figures. There were figures that the President were naming last fall. Of course, since then, they probably changed. But I would refer you to those figures that he already published. And I cannot go beyond that because this is the decision of the military leadership that we don't disclose those figures,” the MFA spokesperson said.

“I can also say that the Ukrainian casualties are times lower than the Russian casualties. And the Ukrainian overall principle is that we care for our people and their lives. And our military leadership prioritizes human lives when conducting warfare,” he added.

“Unlike Russia, of course, and we see those, as they are called, meat storms on the Russian side, when they're basically sending thousands and thousands of people, which will guaranteeingly die. But they are still pushing them forward. And in many places of the front line, this is the only way they can advance by those so-called meat storms. I know I haven't covered your interest, but you need to understand that this where I can I cannot go beyond beyond that,” Tykhyi concluded.