Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on Sunday that 31,000 Ukrainian soldiers have been killed since the onset of the comprehensive Russian invasion two years ago.
This statement marks the first official disclosure of military casualties in months.
During a press conference, Zelensky mentioned his inability to disclose the number of wounded in the conflict, suggesting that such information could aid Russian military planning.
Zelensky also expressed hope that a summit to be held in Switzerland in the coming months would discuss Kyiv’s vision for peace, followed by the presentation of the peace plan to Russia. He stated, “I hope this will happen in spring. We must not lose this diplomatic initiative.”
In related news, Ukrainian Prosecutor General Andriy Kostin revealed that Ukrainian prosecutors have documented over 120,000 war crimes committed by Russian forces since the February 2022 invasion. The investigations have already led to convictions.
Kostin emphasized the widespread nature of Russian war crimes, noting that there isn’t a crime the Russians haven’t committed during this war, with Ukrainian courts already issuing 80 verdicts during the conflict.
Ukraine aims to establish courts similar to the Nuremberg Trials held after World War II, where Nazi war criminals were tried. Kostin cited crimes committed in the southern Ukrainian city of Mariupol, which fell to Russian forces in May 2022, as an example.
Regular accusations have been made against Russian forces for the execution of unarmed Ukrainian prisoners of war.
Andriy Yermak, the director of the President’s office, criticized international organizations for not fulfilling their roles, noting that the Red Cross has not visited a single Ukrainian prisoner held in Russia.
He also mentioned the Red Cross’s lack of assistance in repatriating Ukrainian children illegally detained in Russia and Russian-occupied territories in Ukraine, with over 20,000 Ukrainian children reportedly being held.
