Ukrainian servicemen fire a 2S7 Pion self-propelled gun at a position
(Picture: Reuters)Over 100,000 Russian troops have been killed or injured in Ukraine, a top US general has claimed.
Speaking at The Economic Club of New York on Wednesday, General Mark Milley, chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, said the conflict had caused “a lot of human suffering” on both sides.
With the war now in its ninth month, the US official said “well over” 100,000 Russian soldiers had been killed or wounded in the war but added that it would be the “same thing probably on the Ukrainian side”.
He went on to claim the conflict had created between 15-30 million Ukrainian refugees and killed up to 40,000 Ukrainian civilians.
The US general’s comments come as Russia announced a withdrawal from the west bank of the Dnipro River near the strategic southern Ukrainian city of Kherson.
"The initial indicators are they are in fact doing it. They made the public announcement they’re doing it.
“I believe they’re doing it in order to preserve their force to re-establish defensive lines south of the Dnipro river, but that remains to be seen,” Gen Milley said.
“It won’t take them a day or two, this is going to take them days and perhaps even weeks to pull those forces south of that river.”
In its latest situation update, the Ministry of Defence claimed the withdrawal was due to problems resupplying Russian troops on the west bank of the Dnipro River.
“Russia’s ability to sustain its forces on the west bank of the Dnipro river had been placed under pressure by Ukrainian strikes on Russia’s resupply routes.”
The briefing added: “In retreating, Russian forces have destroyed multiple bridges and likely laid mines to slow and delay advancing Ukrainian forces.
“The loss of Kherson’s west bank will likely prevent Russia from achieving its strategic aspiration of a land bridge reaching Odesa.
“With limited crossing points, Russian forces will be vulnerable in crossing the Dnipro River. It is likely that the withdrawal will take place over several days with defensive positions and artillery fires covering withdrawing forces.”
Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelensky, remained cautious over Russia’s withdrawal ain his nightly address amid fears the Ukrainian army could be lured into entrenched battle in the strategic industrial port city.
Kherson city was the only regional capital Russia captured after the invasion and it has been the focus of a major Ukrainian counter-offensive.
The city controls the only land route to the Crimea peninsula that Russia annexed in 2014 and the mouth of the Dnipro river that bisects Ukraine.
