20,000 killed, 80,000 wounded. According to White House spokesman John Kirby, Washington’s intelligence services estimate that 20,000 Russian fighters have been killed on Ukrainian soil since December 2022. At the same time, according to the American official , another 80,000 were wounded in action.

“Since December, we estimate Russia has had more than 100,000 combatants killed or wounded, including 20,000 combat deaths,” White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said during a conference call. Press. He said half of the dead belonged to the Russian private military group Wagner, and were mostly former prisoners “thrown into the fighting in Bakhmout (eastern Ukraine) without training or sufficient military command”. “The conclusion is that Russia’s offensive has backfired,” John Kirby said.

On the other hand, he refused to comment on the losses suffered by Ukraine, supported by a Western coalition led by the United States. “It’s up to them to talk about it or not.” I will never make public anything that makes it difficult for them. They are the victims, Russia is the aggressor,” he explained.

Most of the fighting in Ukraine in recent weeks has focused on the eastern Donbass region, particularly the city of Bakhmout. The Russians have very gradually advanced in this largely destroyed industrial city, which they claim to control to the tune of about 80%.

Consult our file: War in Ukraine