Information released from the United Kingdom has revealed that Russia has now lost the same number of troops in their nine-week invasion of Ukraine as it did in nine years of the Soviet War in Afghanistan.
The UN’s OHCHR has also reported that 2,665 civilians have lost their lives since Putin ordered the invasion of Ukraine in late February.
The Soviet War took place in Afghanistan between 1979 and 1989, and many believe the eventual collapse of the Soviet Union just two years later stemmed partially from the military failings seen during this conflict.
In the period of war that spanned over nine years, approximately 14,500 Soviet soldiers died, while Afghan deaths reached 18,000 and Mujahideen numbers hit 90,000.
Ben Wallace, the Secretary of State for Defense in the United Kingdom, was speaking on Russia’s invasion, deaths and military failures during the Ukrainian invasion this week.
He reported: “It is our assessment that approximately 15,000 Russian personnel have been killed during their offensive.”
Wallace went on to argue that around 25% of the Russian battalion tactical groups were not ‘combat effective’ and there has been a distinct “failure of the Russian Ministry of Defence command and control at all levels.”
He added: “Last week, Russia admitted that the Slava-class cruiser Moskva has sunk – the second key naval asset that they have lost since invading – significantly weakening their ability to bring their maritime assets to bear from the Black Sea.
“Russia has so far failed in nearly every one of its objectives.”
Continuing his statement on Russia’s loss of equipment in an address to the House of Commons, Wallace claimed an estimated 2,000 armoured vehicles had been seized or destroyed, which included over 500 of tanks, armoured personnel carriers, and infantry fighting vehicles. A minimum of 60 fighter jets and helicopters are also thought to have been destroyed or seized during the Ukrainian invasion.
Wallace concluded that, in the past nine weeks, Ukraine has “endured indiscriminate bombardment, war crimes, and overwhelming military aggression.
“But they have stood firm, galvanized the international community, and beaten back the army of Russia in the North and the North-East.”
While the OHCHR reported 2,665 civilian deaths, the report also acknowledged the true number was likely far above this.
Meanwhile, in an address to lawmakers in St Petersburg this week, Putin claimed that a number of counties from the West wanted to divide Russia up, alleging them to be pushing Ukraine into the current conflict.
He said: “If someone intends to intervene in the ongoing events from the outside, and create strategic threats for Russia that are unacceptable to us, they should know that our retaliatory strikes will be lightning-fast.
“We have all the tools for this, things no one else can boast of having now. And we will not boast, we will use them if necessary. And I want everyone to know that.”
