Russian Defence Minister announces Ukraine's losses in two years of hostilities

Since the beginning of the special military operation, the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) have lost at least 383,000 military personnel, Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said during a meeting of the Board of the Ministry of Defence. The meeting was conducted under President Vladimir Putin's chairmanship.

According to Shoigu, the Ukrainian troops have lost 14,000 tanks, infantry fighting vehicles and armoured personnel carriers, 553 aircraft, 259 helicopters and 8,500 artillery pieces and multiple launch rocket systems.

During the meeting of the Board of the Ministry of Defence, Shoigu stressed that Ukraine had lost 159,000 military personnel since the start of its counteroffensive, which began on June 4.

In turn, President Putin said that the Armed Forces of Ukraine wasted their combat reserves in an effort to prove the results to the master. It is the Russian troops that hold the initiative on the battlefield, he added.