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Russian forces suffer ‘heaviest battlefield losses seen since WWII’

Carriages burn following deadly Russian drone attack on Ukraine passenger train
  • Russian forces have sustained 1.2 million casualties, including as many as 325,000 deaths, in Ukraine, marking the heaviest losses for any major power since the Second World War, according to a study by the Center for Strategic and International Studies.
  • The Kremlin dismissed the casualty figures as unreliable, asserting that only data from the Russian defence ministry should be trusted.
  • Elsewhere, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Russia of an ”act of terrorism” after a drone strike on a civilian train killed at least five people and warned that Russia is preparing a ”new massive strike”, which he believes discredits diplomatic peace talks.
  • Three people were killed in overnight Russian drone attacks in Ukraine's southeastern Zaporizhzhia region, according to the area’s governor, with drones striking the city of Vilnyansk.
  • Trilateral negotiations involving Russia, Ukraine, and the US are scheduled to continue in Abu Dhabi, following earlier talks that concluded without a deal but with both sides expressing openness to further dialogue.
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