Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov admitted during an interview with Sky News Thursday that Russia has suffered “significant losses of troops” during its unprovoked invasion of Ukraine.
Why it matters: It's a rare concession by Russia that the invasion has not gone according to plan.
What they're saying: "We have significant losses of troops, and it's a huge tragedy for us," Peskov said.
- Asked whether Russia is experiencing "humiliation" given the loss of troops, generals and equipment, Peskov pushed back. "No, it's a wrong understanding of what's going on," he said.
Be smart: Western estimates of Russian casualties vary widely due to the difficulties of getting precise on-the-ground intelligence.
- On March 23, a NATO official told reporters that between 7,000 and 15,000 Russian soldiers are believed to have been killed in Ukraine until that date.
- Russia's defense ministry estimated on March 25 that 1,351 Russian soldiers had been killed over the course of the invasion, per Reuters. Two days later, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said his country estimated that Russian troop losses amounted to more than 10,000.