17,500 Russian troops killed in war, Ukraine says

By Ruslan Rehimov

KYIV, Ukraine (AA) - Some 17,500 Russian soldiers have been killed in Ukraine so far, according to the Ukrainian military on Thursday.

Ukrainian forces have destroyed 135 Russian planes, 131 helicopters, 614 tanks, 1,735 armored vehicles, 83 unmanned aerial vehicles, 75 fuel tankers, and seven boats, according to the latest Ukrainian General Staff update.

At least 96 rocket launcher systems and 54 air defense systems have also been destroyed, it added.

The Russia-Ukraine war, which started on Feb. 24, has been met with international outrage, with the EU, US, and UK, among others, implementing tough financial sanctions on Moscow.

At least 1,189 civilians have been killed in Ukraine and 1,901 injured, according to estimates by the UN, which cautioned that the true figure is likely far higher.

More than 4 million Ukrainians have also fled to several European countries, with millions more displaced inside the country, according to the UN refugee agency.