US says Russia Lost over 10% of Forces Sent to Ukraine

WASHINGTON – Russia has lost more than 10% of forces it sent into Ukraine, a senior Pentagon official has claimed.

The official, who spoke to reporters on condition of anonymity, said Moscow now has “slightly below” 90% of the forces it amassed in Belarus and western Russia ahead of its military operation that began February 24.

The US estimate comes after a pro-Kremlin tabloid reported what it said was Russian Defense Ministry data indicating 9,861 Russians have been killed and 16,153 injured during the Russian war on Ukraine. The report from Komsomolskaya Pravda was quickly taken down.

The Russian Defense Ministry has not publicly identified the number of casualties that Russia has sustained since early March when it said 498 soldiers had died. Ukraine has claimed to have killed 15,000 Russian troops, including five generals.

The US official said the Biden administration is continuing to see signs that Russia is facing logistical problems, including difficulties in transporting fuel, food and supplies to troops in Ukraine because of Ukrainian resistance.

“They are having continued logistics and sustainment issues, and again because the Ukrainians had done a good job frustrating their efforts to resupply as well as because we don’t think they properly planned for logistics and sustainment on the level that they needed to,” the official added.