How many soldiers have been killed in Russia-Ukraine war?

The Ukrainian authorities have issued figures regarding the number of military personnel killed in the ongoing war against Russia, stating that the armed forces have suffered losses of 9,000 troops since Russia launched its invasion on February 24. The figures include professional members of the armed forces and also “those who took up arms to participate in the war,” according to the Kyiv government.

The Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, General Valeri Zaluzhni, was tasked with compiling the figures but did not offer further details about the deceased by clarifying to what branch of the military they belonged or whether the losses included any foreign volunteers, the Ukrainian National News Agency (Ukrinform) reported.

Both the Ukrainian and Russian governments have until now been reluctant to publish data regarding combat deaths, although they have been more willing to report on battelfield successes.

Ukraine claims Russia has lost more than 45,000 soldiers

Kyiv does periodically offer updates on the number of deaths on the Russian side. Statistics provided by the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry on Tuesday 23 August put the number of Russian troops who have died since the war began at over 45,000.

This same update also includes details on the total amount of Russian war materiel destroyed by Ukrainian forces since the Kremlin launched its invasion on February 24, including 234 fighter jets, 198 helicopters, 1,921 tanks, 15 ships, 4,238 armored personnel vehicles and 196 cruise missiles.

UN warns Russia over Ukrainian POW war crimes

In other developments, the UN has stated that Moscow will be committing a war crime if Ukrainian prisoners taken by Russia after the fall of Mariupol are illegally tried or publicly humiliated. Ravina Shamdasani, spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, said in a statement there are clear signs Russia and the armed militia groups operating under Kremlin orders in the Donbas region are preparing for the trial of prisoners of war. Cages are reportedly being constructed in a public building in Mariupol to hold the POWs, Shamdasani said.

“While there are few details available, photos and video footage published in the media and on social media appear to show metal cages being built in Mariupol’s philharmonic hall, apparently to restrain prisoners of war during proceedings,” said Shamdasani, who added that international humanitarian law “prohibits the establishment of courts solely to judge prisoners of war and that wilfully depriving a prisoner of war of the rights of fair and regular trial amounts to a war crime.”

According to international norms including the Geneva Conventions, which establish international legal standards for humanitarian treatment in war, combatants with prisoner of war status have immunity and cannot be prosecuted for having participated in hostilities or in legal acts of war committed during a conflict, even if such acts are against a national law.