US Department of Defense: Russia Suffers Over 80,000 Casualties Since Start of War

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Hyun-woo] The U.S. Department of Defense pointed out that Russian military casualties have reached up to 80,000 over the past six months, causing a significant decline in combat will and morale due to heavy losses.

On the 8th (local time), Colin Kahl, U.S. Deputy Secretary of Defense for Policy, stated at a briefing, "Russian military casualties over the past six months have reached between 70,000 and up to 80,000," adding, "This is an approximate figure combining deaths and injuries in combat, and the exact number may be somewhat lower or higher."

Earlier, the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) reported in a classified briefing to the House Armed Services Committee at the end of last month that cumulative Russian military casualties since the start of the war could reach up to 75,000. This suggests that an additional 5,000 casualties have occurred since then.

Deputy Secretary Kahl emphasized, "Considering that Russia has completely failed to achieve President Vladimir Putin's war objectives, the number of Russian military casualties is enormous," and added, "The morale and combat will of the Ukrainian military are much higher than the average combat will of the Russian military. That is the huge advantage the Ukrainian military holds."

Since the beginning of the war, Russia has not disclosed the exact scale of its military losses. After the Russian Ministry of Defense officially announced on March 25, just one month after the war began, that 1,351 Russian soldiers had died, it has not released specific casualty figures. As a result, intelligence agencies of Western countries show varying estimates of Russian military casualties.

Meanwhile, it is reported that the Ukrainian and Russian militaries are gathering forces in southern Kherson Province in preparation for fierce battles. As Russia is reportedly preparing to forcibly hold a referendum to annex Kherson Province as Russian territory, the Ukrainian military is said to be preparing a major offensive to reclaim the territory before the referendum takes place.