17,300 Russian troops killed in war, Ukraine claims

By Ruslan Rehimov

KYIV, Ukraine (AA) - Some 17,300 Russian soldiers have been killed in Ukraine so far, the Ukrainian military claimed on Wednesday.

Ukrainian forces have destroyed 131 Russian planes, 131 helicopters, 605 tanks, 1,723 armored vehicles, 81 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), 75 fuel tankers, and seven boats, according to the latest Ukrainian General Staff update.

At least 305 Russian artillery weapons, 96 multiple rocket launcher systems, and 54 air defense systems have also been destroyed, it added.

Russia's war on Ukraine, which began on Feb. 24, has drawn international outrage, with the EU, US, and UK, among others, implementing tough financial sanctions on Moscow.

At least 1,179 civilians have been killed and 1,860 have been injured in Ukraine, with the true figure likely to be much higher, according to the UN.

More than 3.9 million Ukrainians have also fled to neighboring countries, with millions more internally displaced, according to the UN refugee agency.

*Writing by Gozde Bayar in Ankara