Ukraine’s military said Sunday Russia has lost 409,820 troops in Ukraine in its two-year war on Ukraine.
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine posted Russia’s loss in a report on Facebook.
In addition, the report also said Russia had lost 819 of its troops in the previous day.
Russia has not commented.
Ukraine’s air force said Sunday its forces downed 16 out of 18 Russian drones aimed at several Ukrainian oblasts.
On Saturday, the second anniversary of Russia’s invasion, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked those who have supported Ukraine. Because of their cooperation, he said, “millions in Ukraine and in neighboring countries around Russia can feel that their homeland will not become Putin’s backyard.”
Zelenskyy used his nightly video address to cite Russian “imperial ambitions and revanchism” and struck an optimistic note that Russia will be defeated because “when the world's leading democracies are truly determined, this determination overcomes all challenges.”
“We must ensure” Russia loses, he said, then “the entire global community of nations – and international law as such – will prevail.”
Ukrainians commemorated the day by laying flowers to honor their dead, weeping and hoping for victory despite the mounting number of war dead and a Russian offensive that shows no sign of letting up.
G7 pledges support
Leaders of the Group of Seven major democracies marked the second anniversary by pledging to support Ukraine for as long as needed in its war against Russia.
In a statement, the G7 denounced the support of China and Iran for Russia's war on Ukraine and called on Iran to stop helping Russia's military. They also expressed concern about the transfer by Chinese businesses of weapons components and military equipment to Moscow.
Earlier, Western leaders such as European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau visited the Ukrainian capital to mark the gruesome anniversary in a show of support.
Meloni and Trudeau signed a 10-year defense pact with Ukraine's president and Meloni told the Ukrainian people they "are not alone" in the fight. Trudeau said, "we will stand with Ukraine with whatever it takes, for as long as it takes."
Trudeau pledged about $2.25 billion in financial and military support for Ukraine this year.
Forum