As the Russia-Ukraine war continues, reports indicate a significant loss of life, with Ukraine reporting 990 Russian soldiers killed in a single day. This grim statistic comes before a highly anticipated meeting between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin in Alaska, where the primary topic of discussion will be the termination of the ongoing conflict. There is speculation that Putin might announce a ceasefire during the meeting.
Since the commencement of the war on February 24, 2022, Russia has sustained tremendous losses. The total number of Russian casualties has reached 1,067,100. The losses sustained by Russia also include substantial military equipment. Figures show that Russia has lost 11,104 tanks, 23,130 armored fighting vehicles, 31,458 artillery pieces, 1,466 multiple launch rocket systems, 1,207 air defense systems, 421 aircraft, 40 helicopters, 51,043 UAVs, 3,558 cruise missiles, and 28 ships.
According to President Zelensky, Russia’s daily losses are three times higher than Ukraine’s.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated on August 12 that Russia was losing approximately 1,000 soldiers daily, which is about three times more than Ukraine’s losses. He cited the example that on August 11, Russia lost 531 soldiers killed, 428 wounded, and 9 captured. In comparison, Ukraine’s losses were 340 soldiers, including 18 killed, 243 wounded, and 79 missing.
Trump and Putin are scheduled to meet on August 15 in Alaska. Their last meeting occurred at the G-20 summit held in Japan in 2019. The upcoming meeting, in Anchorage, Alaska, will be centered around discussions on ending the war in Ukraine. Trump has previously acted as a mediator in three meetings between Russia and Ukraine, however, these efforts were unsuccessful.
Throughout the conflict, Russia has experienced roughly double the number of casualties compared to Ukraine. The current military situation favors Russia. It is possible that the Kremlin intends to utilize the Alaska summit to shift the focus away from peace talks with Ukraine and towards the relationship between Russia and the US. This may be a tactic to convince the Trump administration to offer economic deals to Moscow.