17,700 Russian troops killed in war, Ukraine claims

By Ruslan Rehimov

KYIV, Ukraine (AA) - Some 17,700 Russian soldiers have been killed in Ukraine so far, according to the Ukrainian military on Friday.

Ukrainian forces have destroyed 143 Russian planes, 131 helicopters, 625 tanks, 1,751 armored vehicles, 85 unmanned aerial vehicles, 76 fuel tankers, and seven boats, according to the latest Ukrainian General Staff update.

At least 316 Russian artillery weapons, 96 multiple 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 the UK, among others, implementing tough financial sanctions on Moscow.

At least 1,232 civilians have been killed in Ukraine and 1,935 injured, according to UN estimates, with the true figure feared to be far higher.

More than 4 million Ukrainians have also fled to other countries, with millions more internally displaced, according to the UN refugee agency.

* Writing by Merve Berker in Ankara.