**Russia Suffers Heaviest Military Losses Since Start of War**
Russian forces have suffered their biggest losses since the start of the full-scale war in Ukraine. Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said that over 150,000 Russian soldiers were killed in combat last year.
The total number of Russian military losses reached 434,000 soldiers, including those killed, captured, wounded, and missing. This is according to estimates made by Ukrainian authorities.
**Record High Losses**
Russian losses were at their highest levels in November and December, with a daily record of 2,030 troops lost in November. Moscow does not release official casualty figures, but a Defense Ministry official recently revealed that the department received 48,000 requests to identify missing soldiers.
A joint investigation by BBC Russia and Mediazona found that over 88,000 Russian soldiers died during the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The report concludes that last year will likely be the “war’s deadliest year,” with over 20,000 confirmed deaths.
**Ukrainian Losses**
President Volodymyr Zelensky revealed in December that Ukraine lost 43,000 soldiers on the battlefield since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion. Commander-in-Chief Syrskyi said that there were “many times” less Ukrainian losses than those sustained by the Russians.
**Russia to Surpass 1 Million Troop Losses**
At the current rate of Russian military casualties, Russia is expected to surpass 1 million troop losses within six months. The artillery ammunition expenditure rates in the Russian army have also practically halved since last year.
**Other News**
* Ukrainian forces shot down 43 Russian attack drones overnight.
* Intelligence services in the U.S. and Europe are increasingly convinced that accidents led to damaged critical cables in the Baltic Sea.
* Ukraine’s State Emergency Service received three specialized demining vehicles from Slovenia.
* Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel said a united NATO is essential to counter Putin’s ambitions and safeguard Ukraine’s sovereignty.
Read More @ kyivindependent.com