A congressional source revealed on Tuesday that Russia has suffered massive casualties in the ongoing war in Ukraine, which started in February 2022.
According to a declassified US intelligence assessment, some 315,000 Russian troops have been killed or wounded in the conflict, which amounts to nearly a third of Russia’s active military personnel.
The source also said that Russia has lost a significant portion of its armored vehicles in the war, including some 2,200 of the 3,500 tanks it had before the hostilities began. The US intelligence report estimated that Russia has deployed over 500,000 troops and 5,000 tanks to Ukraine, in an attempt to annex the country and expand its influence in Eastern Europe.
The war in Ukraine has escalated in recent months, as both sides have intensified their attacks and shelled civilian areas. The international community has condemned Russia’s aggression and imposed sanctions on Moscow, but has failed to stop the bloodshed. The US and its allies have provided military aid and training to Ukraine, but have ruled out direct intervention.
The congressional source said that the US intelligence assessment was shared with Congress as part of a briefing on the situation in Ukraine. The source added that the assessment was based on satellite imagery, intercepted communications, and human intelligence sources. The source also warned that the war could escalate further and pose a threat to regional and global security.
By Salam Bustanji
