The Russian army, which invaded Ukraine on 24 February, is suffering heavy losses, the biggest in decades, as stated by the President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in his latest video address to the nation.
“Our Armed Forces are doing everything to discourage the enemy from attempting to continue the war against Ukraine. The losses of Russian troops are enormous. The dynamics of the occupiers’ losses on the 17th day is such that we can state with certainty: it is the severest strike against the Russian army for decades. They have not lost more than that for such a period,” the president said.
The president noted that since the beginning of the Russian invasion, 31 Russian battalion tactical groups have now been rendered incapable of combat.
The Russian military does not surrender in singles anymore, they surrender in whole groups. Also, they are trying to leave Ukraine for Russia in groups.
“The losses of Russian invaders in technical capabilities are impressive: more than 360 tanks, 1,205 armored vehicles. And that’s without counting the losses in this night and morning battles. Almost 60 planes. More than 80 helicopters. Hundreds and hundreds of other equipment, including the most modern models, which Russian is so proud of. Most of the world's armies do not have as much weaponry as Russian troops lost during the invasion,” Zelenskyy said.
The President added that the intensity of defense and resistance cannot be reduced at the moment.
“The enemy is bringing more and more convoys to Ukraine. They are looking for fighters everywhere: among reservists, conscripts, mercenaries. They are trying to beat us in number. Number of fighters, number of equipment. They use terror to break our faith in victory in Ukraine. I am sure they will NOT succeed. It will give no results,” Zelenskyy said.
According to the Headquarter of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the total combat losses of Russia from 24 February to 12 March are approximately 12,000 people and 362 tanks.
In addition, the Russians lost 1,205 armored combat vehicles, 135 artillery systems, 62 volley fire missile systems, 22 air defense systems, 58 aircraft, 83 helicopters, 585 vehicles, 3 boats and ships, 60 fuel tanks and 7 operational and tactical drones.
The calculation is complicated by the high intensity of hostilities.
Earlier, the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine issued guidelines on how to properly surrender into captivity voluntarily for the Russian military. The Russians must unbuckle their dispenser magazine and hang their weapons on their left shoulders with their muzzles down, raise and show their empty hands, find, and show a white cloth, obey all the commands of the Ukrainian military.
Meanwhile, the Russian media began to report on the military killed in Ukraine. The Ukrainian authorities confirm the death of more than 12 000 soldiers, while the Russian media have so far reported of “isolated cases.”
Officially, data on the loss of the army are called ‘fakes’ in Russia. Russia also refuses to take away the bodies of its fallen soldiers. Roskomnadzor [the Federal Service for Supervision of Communications, Information Technology and Mass Media] demands that Telegram removes Internet resources, including bots, which provide information about Russian servicemen who died or were captured during a military attack on Ukraine. The Russian media also forbade calling the war with Ukraine a ‘war’ sticking to a term ’special operation.’