Ukraine Has Lost 71,500 Soldiers in Counteroffensive: Putin

During a speech at the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok on Tuesday, President Vladimir Putin dismissed the possibility of suspending the special military operation and revealed that Ukraine has lost 71,500 soldiers in recent months.

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"The Ukrainian counteroffensive did not achieve its objectives but it did cause 71,500 casualties on its side," he said, adding that 543 Ukrainian tanks and 18,000 armored vehicles have been destroyed since February 2022.

While all this was happening, 270,000 new soldiers have voluntarily enlisted in the Russian Armed Forces so far this year, which implies an average daily enlistment of up to 1,500 people.

"We have carried out a partial mobilization. We called up 300,000 people. In the last 6 or 7 months, 270,000 people signed contracts to serve in the armed forces and volunteer units," Putin said.

The Russian leader also commented on the plans of the United States and its allies to provide F-16 fighters to Ukraine.

"These strategies will not change anything. They will simply prolong the conflict," he said, recalling that the arrival of cluster munitions in Ukraine did not change the situation on the front either.

Putin emphasized that the cessation of the conflict presupposes actions that do not depend on his country, among which is the repeal of a decree by President Volodymyr Zelensky that prohibits Ukraine from negotiating with Russia.