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The United States said that over 100,000 Russian soldiers have become victims of war in Ukraine which started on 24 February when President Vladimir Putin ordered the invasion of the neighbouring country.
America’s top General, Mark Milley disclosed this at the Economic Club of New York on Wednesday adding that the casualties of war included those killed and wounded in Ukraine, VOA reports.
Milley noted that the number of causalities was the highest US estimate to date in the nearly nine-month-old battle.
month-old battle.
When asked about prospects for diplomacy in Ukraine, Milley noted that the early rejection to negotiate in World War One compounded human suffering and led to millions more casualties.
“So, when there’s an opportunity to negotiate when peace can be achieved … seize the moment,” Milley told the Economic Club of New York.
The army chief also said the war has turned 15 million to 30 million Ukrainians into refugees while 40,000 civilians have died.
The report said earlier on Wednesday, Russia announced its troops would withdraw from the west bank of the Dnipro River near the strategic southern Ukrainian city of Kherson, in a significant setback for Moscow and a potential turning point in the war.
Some experts argued the latest setback for Putin’s country could allow Ukraine to negotiate from a position of strength while others argue that Russia might use negotiations to buy time to reset and refit its forces for a renewed spring offensive.
Milley said the initial indicators suggested Russia was following through with its withdrawal from Kherson. But he cautioned that it could take time to complete.
“It won’t take them a day or two, this is going to take them days and perhaps even weeks to pull those forces south of that river,” Milley said, estimating that Russia probably had 20,000 to 30,000 troops north of the Dnipro River in that area.
“You’re looking at well over 100,000 Russian soldiers killed and wounded. Same thing probably on the Ukrainian side. A lot of human suffering,” Milley said.
