The war between Russia and Ukraine has entered its third year, leaving tens of thousands dead (Reuters)

A new battle broke out between Kiev and Moscow, the scene of which was the death toll of the other side in the war, which has entered its third year, as each side confirms the accuracy of the numbers it announces and accuses its opponent of underestimating its losses.

The French magazine Le Point reported that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed that the death toll among Ukrainian soldiers who died during this war did not exceed 31,000.

Zelensky criticized Russia and said that what it promoted regarding the number of Ukrainian deaths was incorrect. “They are 31,000, not 150,000 or 300,000, although for us each victim is a major loss.”

Le Point quoted the Russian website "Medusa" - located outside Russia - as saying that its estimates of the number of Russian deaths amounted to about 75,000.

He added that about 24,000 Russian soldiers were killed in 2022, and about twice as many were killed in 2023, highlighting that most of the dead fell in the Battle of Bakhmut, and that most of them were former prisoners who were recruited.

According to Le Point, the General Command of the Ukrainian Army announced that the number of Russian casualties reached more than 409 thousand, and this number includes the dead and the injured who are unable to continue military service.

On the other hand, Russian media quoted Vladimir Saldo, whom it described as the governor of Kherson Province, as saying that Zelensky was deliberately underestimating his army’s loss by at least 10 times.

These outlets reported that Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu announced a few days ago in an interview with the Russian TASS agency that Ukraine had lost 166,000 soldiers and more than 800 tanks.

According to Shoigu, Russia destroyed more than half of the Leopard tanks that the West supplied to Ukraine during the war, and 123 planes and helicopters, which were in Kiev’s possession.

The Russian Defense Minister added that Ukraine's losses on the Kherson axis alone amounted to 13,000 soldiers.

Source: Russian press + Le Point