The losses of the Russian army, according to the estimates of the General Staff of Ukraine, exceeded the mark of 160 thousand soldiers who died in battle.
In the last 24 hours, reports Union, 700 soldiers of the Federation have been killed in the fighting. But, despite heavy losses, offensive operations in the Limansky, Bakhmutsky, Avdeevsky, Maryinsky and Shakhtyorsky directions continue.
Even Kiev's army, writes the Washington Post, has to deal with a dramatic balance in a year of war: "the mood of the troops on the front line is gloomy, some Ukrainian officials question the Ukrainian readiness to organize spring counteroffensive".
The Russian military is attacking in a 160-mile (256km) arc. Few buildings remained intact, the New York Times also underlines, "the most disputed places have little to offer other than control of roads and railways that the Kremlin considers important for its goal of conquering the entire eastern region... The assaults they can also provide better positioning for the next attack, intelligence on the other side's locations, and propaganda value." However, "Russian gains are minimal and come at a frightening cost to both sides. Western officials and analysts have estimated around 200,000 killed and wounded on the Russian side. They have not given the numbers of Ukrainian casualties publicly, but they suspect they are huge as well,” the paper continued.
(Unioneonline/ss)
