43,000 Ukrainian soldiers killed since Russia invaded, Zelenskyy says

KYIV, Ukraine — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Sunday that 43,000 Ukrainian soldiers had been killed and 370,000 wounded since Russia’s full-scale invasion began nearly three years ago. It was the first time in months that he had disclosed military casualty figures, a highly sensitive topic in Ukraine, particularly as Kyiv’s forces lose more ground to Russian troops.

The Ukrainian leader’s tally could not be verified independently, and it differs sharply from estimates by U.S. officials and military analysts, who have put the number of dead much higher. U.S. officials said in August 2023 that close to 70,000 soldiers had been killed, a figure that has probably increased significantly since then.

Yuri Butusov, a Ukrainian journalist with close ties to the army, shared a similar figure last week, adding that 35,000 soldiers were also missing in action.

Zelenskyy also noted that about half of the wounded soldiers return to the battlefield after treatment. This suggests that Ukraine has suffered a total of about 230,000 irreplaceable losses, comprising those killed and those permanently incapacitated by injuries.

It was not immediately clear why Zelenskyy chose to release casualty figures now, but his statement came just a few hours after President-elect Donald Trump said that Ukraine had lost 400,000 soldiers, without specifying the number of dead or wounded. Trump, who also said that Russia’s casualties were close to 600,000 soldiers, said the high toll of the war underscored the need for an immediate cease-fire and the start of peace negotiations.

“I know Vladimir well,” Trump wrote Sunday on social media, referring to Russia’s president, Vladimir Putin. “This is his time to act. China can help. The World is waiting!” He urged Putin to begin negotiations and called on China, which has aligned itself with Russia on many issues, to join the process.

Ending the war was a major theme of a meeting between Trump and Zelenskyy in Paris on Saturday evening, their first in-person encounter since Trump won the U.S. presidential election last month. Trump’s promise to end the war quickly has raised fears in Kyiv that it could leave Russia in control of about 20% of Ukraine’s territory and strong enough to start another all-out offensive.

In an interview with NBC that aired Sunday, Trump said he would “probably” reduce aid to Ukraine when he returns to the White House next month.

Ukrainian officials in recent weeks have sought to forge ties with Trump and his future administration to try to shape their plans to wrap up the conflict in a way that best aligns with Kyiv’s interests.

Referring to his conversation with Trump in Paris, Zelenskyy said Sunday afternoon on social media, where he revealed the casualty figures, “I stated that we need a just and enduring peace — one that the Russians will not be able to destroy in a few years, as they have done repeatedly in the past.”

Anticipating that the new Trump administration may cut off aid to Ukraine to force it to the negotiating table, the Biden administration is trying to expedite the remaining military assistance earmarked for Ukraine. Late on Saturday, the Department of Defense unveiled a $1 billion package for Ukraine that will provide funds to buy ammunition for rocket systems, drones and spare parts for maintaining artillery equipment.

But U.S. officials and military analysts have repeatedly said in recent weeks that additional weapons and ammunition are not what Ukraine needs most now. Rather, they say, it needs to do a better job of replacing its battlefield losses, including by speeding up and expanding conscription. In particular, senior U.S. officials have urged Kyiv to expand its draft to younger men ages 18 to 25, who are now exempt.

“Even with the money, even with the munitions, there have to be people on the front lines to deal with the Russian aggression,” Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in Brussels last week.

While Ukraine’s battlefield losses are dwarfed by Russia’s — estimated at up to 400,000 irreplaceable losses — military analysts warn they are less sustainable for Kyiv because it has faced greater difficulties than Russia in replenishing its ranks.

Russia, trying to avoid a round of national conscription that could anger citizens, has sought to recruit heavily from prisons and volunteers. Ukrainian and Western officials also estimate that North Korea sent about 10,000 soldiers to help Russia this year, as the countries leaders developed closer ties.

This article originally appeared in The New York Times.

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