Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky Says 31,000 Soldiers Martyred Since Russia's Invasion

Since Russia's full-scale invasion, more than 31,000 Ukrainian soldiers have been martyred, said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Sunday. Talking to the media in Kyiv, Zelensky said he can not disclose the number of wounded as it might help the Russian military to plan their next attack. It was the first time in the last one year, that Ukraine shared an official number of soldiers who died in the war against Russia.

"31,000 Ukrainian troops have been killed in this war. Not 300,000, not 150,000 ... (Russian President Vladimir) Putin is lying there ... But nevertheless, this is a big loss for us," Zelensky said.

Earlier in 2022, presidential aide Mykhailo Podolyak had informed that the lives of 13,000 Ukrainian soldiers were claimed in the war.

Discussing the casualties of war is a delicate issue in a nation striving to overhaul its military mobilization tactics to bolster its forces, following last year's unsuccessful attempt to penetrate Russian defenses.

Additionally, Zelensky acknowledged that tens of thousands of civilians had died in the war.

A day ago, at a ceremony at Kyiv's Gostomel airport, which Russia captured in the 2022 assault, Zelensky said "We will win."

Ukraine's military chief Oleksandr Syrsky also showed confidence to win against Russia saying: "light always conquers darkness".