Russia Reportedly Lost More Soldiers In 3 Weeks Than US In 20 Yrs In Iraq-Afghanistan Combined

Despite President Vladimir Putin's repeated claims that the ongoing war in Ukraine is a success and that the operation is going as per plans, not many are buying these.

That is because more than three weeks into the war, Russia has not managed to capture any major cities so far, with the exemption of Kherson, a city in southern Ukraine along the Black Sea earlier this month.

AFP

Since then, despite heavy air, land and sea attacks, the Russian troops are still stuck outside major cities including the capital Kyiv.

Adding to the Russian frustration is the mounting death toll of its troops.

Russia has so far only admitted the death of 498 soldiers in the war, but according to the government in Ukraine, the number of Russians killed in the three weeks is as high as 14,000.

AFP

Russia bleeding in Ukraine

Intelligence agencies in Europe and the US put the Russian troops' death toll anywhere between 7,000 to 12,000.

This is based on combing through satellite images and videos of battles.

Even 7,000 deaths in three weeks is a huge number.

In comparison, in the 36 days of fighting on Iwo Jima during World War II, nearly 7,000 Marines were killed, this was regarded as one of the bloodiest battles fought in modern times.

According to some estimates, Russia has lost more troops in three weeks of the war in Ukraine than the United States did in more than 20 years in Afghanistan and Iraq combined.

AP

Pentagon estimates that at least 7,000 Russian troops have been killed while another 14,000 to 21,000 have been wounded, which is nearly one-fifth of the 150,000 men Russia had sent to Ukraine on February 24.

At least four of the 20 top-ranking officials who were deployed to lead the war have also been killed so far.

Nobody left to fight

¡°Losses like this affect morale and unit cohesion, especially since these soldiers don¡¯t understand why they¡¯re fighting,¡± Evelyn Farkas, the top Pentagon official for Russia and Ukraine during the Obama administration told The New York Times. ¡°Your overall situational awareness decreases. Someone¡¯s got to drive, someone¡¯s got to shoot.¡±

Pentagon believes that some of the Russian military units have suffered massive losses to the point there is not many left to fight.

AFP

British military intelligence made similar observations and said that Russian troops have suffered heavy losses in recent days that effectively stalled its progress on all fronts.

Don't come to Ukraine

There are also reports that Russia is trying to recruit Syrian mercenaries to fight in Ukraine.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday urged paid fighters to stay away from the conflict.

¡°I warn everyone who will try to join the occupiers on our Ukrainian land. This will be the worst decision of your life,¡± Zelensky said in a late-night speech. ¡°Long life is better than the money you are offered for a short one.¡±

For more on news, sports and current affairs from around the world, please visit Indiatimes News.