Explainer, War

Ukraine released its military losses. Why now?

by Andrea Januta and Toma Istomina and Olena Zashko March 12, 2024 3:57 PM 1 min read

KHARKIV OBLAST, UKRAINE - FEBRUARY 17: An aerial view of the Ukrainian flags wave over thousands of graves of servicemen killed during the ongoing fighting between Russian troops and Ukrainian forces in a local cemetery, while February 24, 2024 marks the second anniversary of the Russia-Ukraine war, in Kharkiv, Ukraine on February 17, 2024. (Photo by Narciso Contreras/Anadolu via Getty Images)

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Zelensky recently announced that 31,000 Ukrainian troops have died in the war, after keeping this number a secret for more than a year. Why did he release them now? What do these numbers tell us? Why were they a secret? And what do we still not know?

Authors: Andrea Januta, Toma Istomina, Olena Zashko

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