Vladimir Putin at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Moscow
(Picture: SPUTNIK/AFP via Getty Images)A pro-Kremlin tabloid reported on Monday that almost 10,000 Russian troops had died during its invasion of Ukraine, before claiming it had been hacked.
Komsomolskaya Pravda said 9,861 Russian soldiers had been killed and 16,153 injured since February 24, citing the country’s Ministry of Defence.
Previously, the Russian military has only admitted to around 500 of its troops being killed. It also previously denied conscript soldiers are being used.
However, shortly after publication, the article was deleted and Komsomolskaya Pravda released a statement claiming it had been hacked.
It was then replaced with a version minus the figures.
Exact figures of Russian troop casualties are not known after the Kremlin imposed strict censorship rules on information related to the war from media outlets in Russia.
Last week, US intelligence estimated that at least 7,000 Russian soldiers had died, up to that point, with up to 21,000 injured.
Western sources say Vladimir Putin is not making the progress he had hoped for when he announced Russia was launching a “special military operation” in Ukraine on February 24.
The UK’s Ministry of Defence said on Tuesday that “despite heavy fighting, Ukrainian force continue to repulse Russian attempts to occupy the southern city of Mariupol”.
Defence Intelligence update on the situation in Ukraine - 22 March 2022
— Ministry of Defence 🇬🇧 (@DefenceHQ) March 22, 2022
Find out more about the UK government's response: https://t.co/H04Aix2uOs pic.twitter.com/TWVZbPaPTh
The besieged port city has faced relentless bombardment since the conflict began, with residential buildings, schools and hospitals targeted in air strikes.
In its latest intelligence update, the MoD added that Russian forces have “endured yet another day of limited progress, with most forces largely stalled in place”.
It added: “Several Ukrainian cities continue to suffer heavy Russian air and artillery bombardment with the UN reporting that more than 10 million Ukrainians are now internally displaced as a result of Russia’s invasion.”
With fighting intensifying in Mariupol, another evacuation attempt to help trapped residents flee is being set up on Tuesday.
Ukraine’s deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk said three evacuation routes were being set up, with buses arriving to take people out of the city between 9am and 10am local time.
It was not clear whether these humanitarian corridors had been agreed with Russia. Similar previous attempts have failed.
The city is facing humanitarian disaster after being encircled by Russia troops, with electricity and water supplies being cut off for weeks.
