Zelenskyy says Ukraine "not losing" war, claims heavy Russian casualties

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has rejected claims that Ukraine is losing the war, asserting that Russian forces are sustaining heavy losses despite reports of a renewed offensive.

In remarks addressing the battlefield situation, Zelenskyy said Ukraine was not losing the conflict and argued that Russia was paying a high price for every kilometre of occupied Ukrainian territory, Caliber.Az reports per Ukrainian media. 

He claimed that for each kilometre gained, Russian forces were suffering approximately 170 casualties, either killed or seriously wounded, and that Ukraine possessed evidence to support these figures. He dismissed suggestions that Russia had achieved meaningful victories in recent months.

The Ukrainian leader also stressed that Kyiv supports diplomatic initiatives proposed by the United States in order to demonstrate that Ukraine is not seeking to prolong the war. He said Ukraine was open to urgent meetings and indicated readiness to consider freezing the current front line, provided that Russia was equally prepared to do so. Any potential compromises, he added, would depend on reciprocal willingness from Moscow.

At the same time, Zelenskyy rejected proposals involving the creation of a “free economic zone” or the withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from certain areas. He argued that such measures would effectively amount to relinquishing Ukrainian territory and said he saw no justice in such an outcome.

By Sabina Mammadli