Dmitry Peskov, a spokesman for Russian president Vladimir Putin, acknowledged that Russia had suffered "significant military losses" in the war against Ukraine in an interview with Sky News, Liga.net reports.
"We have suffered significant losses of troops, this is a huge tragedy for us," Peskov said.
At the same time, he continues to insist that the bombing of civilian facilities in Mariupol by Russian troops, including a maternity hospital, and the mass killings of civilians in Bucha are "fake".
Asked whether he was ready to cooperate with the International Criminal Court in investigating these and other crimes, Peskov said that Russia "does not recognize the International Criminal Court." He also said he did not consider it possible to prosecute Putin for war crimes.
Asked if he considered sanctions against Russia a threat, Peskov said Russia "has been living under sanctions for decades."
"We started preparing for these sanctions a year ago. And so now, of course, we are in a very difficult situation economically, but our economy is still on its feet, and we are doing well," he said.
The total combat losses of the enemy from 24 February to 7 April amounted to approximately 18,900 people. The calculation is complicated by the high intensity of hostilities.
In Russia, the truth about the war in Ukraine and data on the loss of the army is called a "fake". Russians face up to fifteen years in prison for disseminating this information, and the occupiers -"refusals" [those who refuse to participate in the war], are threatened with repression against their relatives.