Russian losses in east are ‘worse than ours,’ claims Ukraine

Ukraine stated on Friday that it had suffered significant losses as a result of Russia’s offensive in the east, but claimed that Russia’s casualties were far worse.

Following the failure of an assault on Kyiv in Ukraine’s north last month, Russia is now attempting to entirely take the two eastern provinces of Luhansk and Donetsk in the Donbas area.

Ukraine has admitted to losing control of certain towns and villages since the attack began last week, but maintains Moscow’s gains have come at a high cost to a Russian force that was already exhausted from its earlier setback near the capital.

“We have serious losses but the Russians’ losses are much, much bigger … they have colossal losses,” presidential adviser Oleksiy Arestovych said. Western officials said Russia had been suffering fewer casualties after narrowing the scale of its invasion but numbers were still “quite high.”

According to Ukrainian sources, Russia is bombarding the whole front line in Donetsk with rockets, artillery, mortar bombs, and planes in order to prevent Ukrainian forces from regrouping.

The Russian attack in Donbas, on the other hand, appeared to be running behind schedule.

“Due to strong Ukrainian resistance, Russian territorial gains have been limited and achieved at significant cost to Russian forces,” the British Defense Ministry said.

Mariupol, an eastern port devastated to a wasteland by two months of Russian bombing and siege, has seen the deadliest fighting and the biggest humanitarian disaster of the conflict.

According to Ukraine, 100,000 inhabitants remain in the city, which is largely held by Russia. Hundreds of people are holed up in bunkers beneath a steel plant alongside the last remaining defenders.

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