Ukraine’s military claimed on Tuesday that the past 24 hours of fighting had been the deadliest yet for Russian troops, setting a new record less than a year into the war.
Kyiv announced that the death toll of Russian troops rose by 1,030 overnight – bringing the total number of military casualties to 133,190.
Russia has also claimed to have killed large numbers of Ukrainian soldiers in recent weeks, claiming 6,500 Ukrainian casualties in January alone.
Neither side’s account has been independently verified, and Kyiv has offered few details about the recent fighting.
The high death toll reflects reports from both sides detailing relentless fighting and increasing campaigns of close-contact trench warfare.
Ukrainian forces are preparing for a major Russian offensive in the coming weeks, possibly on the first anniversary of the war.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has signaled Moscow’s attempt to regain its foothold by massing troops in eastern Ukraine’s Luhansk province.
As Russia hopes to make new gains using the hundreds of thousands of troops it has called up over the past two months, Kyiv is awaiting the arrival of Western tanks in preparation for the expected offensive.
Ukraine’s hotly contested eastern Donetsk province has been fighting for weeks around Bakhmut and the nearby towns of Soledar and Vohlidar.
Meanwhile, Russia has seen its first breakthrough in half a year over the past few weeks. Despite its aggressive winter campaign that killed thousands, Russia did not capture a single major population center.
Britain’s Ministry of Defense said in an update on Tuesday that while Russia enjoys a weak advantage, it “lacks the weapons and maneuver units required for a successful attack.”
Russian forces have “managed to gain several hundred meters of territory in just one week,” the ministry said, making the war unlikely to end in the near future given their small gains.
“Russian leaders will likely continue to call for massive breakthroughs. It is unlikely that Russia can build up the forces needed to significantly affect the outcome of the war in the coming weeks.
With post wires.
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