One Year Of Russia-Ukraine War: Over 300,000 Dead, 8 Million Displaced And No End At Sight
The number of those killed on either side is largely speculative. According to the latest UN human rights office (OHCHR) data, at least 8,000 non-combatants (civilians) were killed¨C nearly 13,300 were injured. In addition, 8 million Ukrainians, as per estimates, have been displaced, and many are still refugees in neighbouring countries.
On February 24, 2022, when Russian President Vladimir Putin addressed his countrymen in a live telecast to announce the launch of what he called a 'special military operation' in Ukraine, the world reacted in disbelief.
That is because, despite the war of words, posturing, and buildup on the border, not many expected Putin to order an invasion of Ukraine.
AFP
Nobody gave Ukraine a fighting chance
Most experts also expected it to be short-lived and for Russia to emerge victorious in a matter of days or a couple of weeks.
That is because they felt the heavily out-numbered and out-gunned Ukrainian army was in no shape to put up a resistance against the invading Russians.
AP
Russia also played this up by releasing videos and photos of its miles-long convoy marching to Ukraine's capital.
One year later, Russia is largely stuck where it started and capturing Kyiv is looking like a distant dream for Putin, who is struggling to find a face-saving way to exit his troops from Ukraine.
AFP
Human toll of Russia's war
But the war has had a devastating impact on Ukraine and its people.
The number of those killed on either side is largely speculative. According to the latest UN human rights office (OHCHR) data, at least 8,000 non-combatants (civilians) were killed¨C nearly 13,300 were injured.
AP
In addition, 8 million Ukrainians, as per estimates, have been displaced, and many are still refugees in neighbouring countries.
The military death toll is said to be much higher.
AFP
Military losses in Ukraine
The Ukrainian military claimed on Wednesday that over 145,000 Russian military personnel had been killed since the war's beginning. The White House claimed last Friday that 30,000 Wagner mercenaries had been killed in the war.
Ukraine is estimated to have lost over 100,000 fighters in the one year of the invasion.
Russian war infrastructure in Ukraine ruined
Ukrainian Military claimed that since the war began, its forces had destroyed 3350 Russian tanks, 6593 armoured vehicles, 2352 artillery pieces, 471 multiple launch rocket systems, 244 anti-air systems, 299 aircraft, 287 helicopters, 2029 drones, 18 warships, and 5215 other vehicles.
AP
The Russian military said on Wednesday that since the beginning of the war, it has destroyed 7,994 armoured tanks and other armoured vehicles, 4,189 artillery pieces, 1,038 MLRs, 405 anti-air systems, 387 aircraft, 210 helicopters, 3,222 drones and 8,501 other military vehicles.
2024 will be victory year: Zelensky
On Friday, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky, in a defiant statement, said that "this is a year of our invincibility... this will be the year of our victory".
"On February 24, millions of us made a choice. Not a white flag, but a blue and yellow flag. Not fleeing, but facing. Facing the enemy. Resistance and struggle. It was a year of pain, sorrow, faith and unity. And this is a year of our invincibility. We know that this will be the year of our victory!" he said in a video posted on social media.
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Bobins Abraham is the Assistant News Editor at Indiatimes. He has more than twelve years of experience in TV and digital journalism. An avid student of history and geopolitics, he is a conservationist and environmentalist at heart. He writes on environment, sustainability, human-animal conflict and more.
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