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Russia suffered 4,000 casualties in a month of fighting in Kharkiv offensive, Ukraine says

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Russia suffered 4,000 casualties in a month of fighting in Kharkiv offensive, Ukraine says
An aerial view of the town of Vovchansk in Kharkiv Oblast, on May 20, 2024. (Libkos/Getty Images)

Russian forces suffered around 4,000 troops killed or injured during their offensive in northern Kharkiv Oblast between May 10 and June 10, Ukraine's Khortytsia group of forces said on June 14.

Russia launched the new campaign on May 10, but it has effectively bogged down in just about two weeks, with Ukrainian forces counterattacking near the border town of Vovchansk.

The Ukrainian Armed Forces further damaged or destroyed 52 Russian tanks, 59 armored vehicles, 165 artillery systems, six units of air defense equipment, 425 bunkers and shelters, and 37 ammunition warehouses in a month of fighting, the statement read.

The losses do not include casualties Russian forces suffered in the Kupiansk sector in Kharkiv Oblast's northeast.

European Pravda reported on June 13 that according to its undisclosed NATO source, Russian losses in the offensive have been "astronomical."

The source estimated that "Russia likely suffered losses of almost 1,000 people a day in May," potentially indicating even higher numbers than those presented by the Khortytsia group.

President Volodymyr Zelensky said in an interview published on May 25 that Russia's losses during the offensive were eight times higher than those suffered by Ukraine's Armed Forces.

The figures could not be independently verified.

Russia’s move on Kharkiv has bogged down. But was it a failure?
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Martin Fornusek

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Martin Fornusek is a reporter for the Kyiv Independent, specializing in international and regional politics, history, and disinformation. Based in Lviv, Martin often reports on international politics, with a focus on analyzing developments related to Ukraine and Russia. His career in journalism began in 2021 after graduating from Masaryk University in Brno, Czechia, earning a Master's degree in Conflict and Democracy Studies. Martin has been invited to speak on Times Radio, France 24, Czech Television, and Radio Free Europe. He speaks English, Czech, and Ukrainian.

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