Ukraine war: Russia's troop death toll 'passes 150,000' trends now
The number of Russian losses in Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine has passed 150,000, according to the latest figures released by Kyiv, as its forces continue to hang on to their positions in the ruined city of Bakhmut.
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine said on Thursday that 715 Russian soldiers had been killed since Wednesday's count, taking the total to 150,605.
Its latest tally came as Moscow continued in its push to encircle Bakhmut, which Russia says would open the way to fully controlling the rest of the strategic Donbas industrial region bordering Russia, one of the main objectives of Putin's invasion.
However, doing so has come at a cost. The months-long battle for the city has been compared to a First World War 'meat grinder', with Russia suffering tens of thousands of casualties while making only marginal gains in the region.
One military analysts said today Russia was sending in 'human waves', only for its soldiers to be carried off the battlefield 'like a conveyor belt'.
The number of Russian losses in Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine has passed 150,000, according to the latest figures released by Kyiv. Pictured: A Russian tank is seen in flames after being bombed by a Ukrainian-operated drone on Wednesday
While Ukraine does not release official figures of its own losses, it is understood that it too has lost thousands in its fight to keep hold of the city. Nevertheless, it has been able to keep the Russian invaders at bay for months.
Military analyst Oleh Zhdanov lamented the constant pressure Ukrainian positions in Bakhmut have come under in a post on YouTube, assessing the situation as 'critical'.
'They are applying what can be described as colossal pressure, with wave upon wave of attacks,' Zhdanov said. 'They bring in reinforcements in trucks and take away their wounded aboard the same trucks.
'This process is constant - like a conveyor belt - around the clock,' he added.
The battle for Bakhmut began about seven months ago, but in recent weeks Russian advances from three sides have left defenders with the only way out to the west.
'There is a danger that our garrison in Bakhmut will be encircled,' Zhdanov said.
'There is a danger that our garrison in Bakhmut will be encircled. The enemy is attempting to sever the routes used to supply our forces in Bakhmut and halt all movement along them,' he said.
'The Russian forces cannot win street battles in Bakhmut or take the city by attacking head-on. The only way they can take the city is to surround it.'
Ukraine says Bakhmut has limited strategic value but has nevertheless put up fierce resistance. Not everyone in Ukraine is convinced that defending Bakhmut can go on indefinitely.
'I believe that sooner or later, we will probably have to leave Bakhmut. There is no sense in holding it at any cost,' Ukrainian member of parliament Serhiy Rakhmanin said on NV radio late on Wednesday.
'But for the moment, Bakhmut will be defended with several aims - firstly, to inflict as many Russian losses as possible and make Russia use its ammunition and resources.'
No lines of defence should be allowed to collapse, Rakhmanin said.
'There are two ways to approach this - an organised retreat or simple flight. And we cannot allow flight to take place under any circumstances,' he said.
A Ukrainian soldier is seen testing his sights on the outskirts of Kharkiv as battles continue within the Russian-Ukrainian war in Kharkiv, Ukraine on February 28
A Ukrainian serviceman drives an APC towards frontline positions near Bakhmut, Ukraine, Wednesday, March 1, as Ukraine continues to cling on to its positions around the city
Ukraine's military capabilities have surprised many observers since the Russian president ordered his troops across the border on February 24, 2022.
Western intelligence has suggested that Kremlin expected its armies to seize Kyiv with a matter of days, overthrowing Volodymyr Zelensky and replacing his government with a pro-Russian administration.
This plan drastically
