UPDATE - 498 Russian soldiers killed, 1,597 wounded in Ukraine: Russian Defense Ministry

ADDS REMARKS BY RUSSIAN DEFENSE MINISTRY, REVISES HEADLINE, DECK, EDITS THROUGHOUT

By Dmitri Chirciu

MOSCOW (AA) - The Russian Defense Ministry said on Wednesday that 498 of its soldiers have been killed in Ukraine and 1,597 wounded.

Speaking at a news conference in Moscow, ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov claimed that Ukraine has suffered losses as well with more than 2,870 soldiers and "nationalists" killed, about 3,700 wounded and almost 600 captured or surrendered.

"I'd like to stress once again that neither conscripts nor cadets of educational institutions of the Ministry of Defense of Russia participate in the special operation.

"The information spread by many Western and some Russian media outlets about the allegedly ‘incalculable’ losses of the Russian group is purposeful disinformation," he said.

Konashenkov insisted that Russian forces are taking measures to ensure the safety of Ukrainian civilians.

To avoid casualties among civilians, three human corridors were opened in three cities facing the most active hostilities, he said.

"People, willing to leave the capital, Kyiv, have to take the route in the suburban town of Vasilkov.

"The humanitarian corridor from the southern city of Mariupol is organized via the Mariupol - Shirokino highway.

"A similar safe passages were created in the southwest of Kharkiv in the direction of Lyubotin,” said Konashenkov.

He warned about sabotage by "militants of Nazi battalion Azov," claiming they mined the AzovSteel factory in Mariupol and plan to blow it up with civilians inside in case of a breakthrough of the city's defense.

In Kharkiv, a group of Indian students is being held hostage and Ukrainian authorities are forcing them to go through a territory of hostilities, he said.

"The (Russian) armed forces are ready to take all necessary measures for the safe evacuation of Indian citizens. And send them home from the territory of Russia by military transport planes or Indian planes, as the Indian side proposed to do," he said.

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

At least 142 civilians, including 13 children, have been killed and 408 others, including 26 children, injured in Ukraine, according to UN figures.

More than 874,000 people have fled Ukraine to neighboring countries, the UN Refugee Agency said Wednesday.