Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion in February 2022, Russian army losses in Ukraine have exceeded 700,000 personnel, stated U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III.
“Since 2022, Russia has suffered more than 700,000 casualties in Ukraine. This is now more than Moscow has lost in all its conflicts since World War II combined. Russian losses in Ukraine now exceed two-thirds of the total number of Russian military personnel at the start of the war chosen by Putin,” Austin said at a briefing following the 25th meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group (Ramstein format) on Thursday in Germany.
The Pentagon chief described Russian losses as “staggering,” noting that this is why the Kremlin has been forced to seek personnel for the war from prisons and to coerce contractors.
“Moscow has even deployed troops from North Korea into a war they were not involved in. This is yet another clear sign of Putin's desperation. North Korean troops have suffered thousands—over a thousand casualties since they entered Putin's war last December,” Austin remarked.
Meanwhile, as the defense minister pointed out, the economic costs of “Putin's imperial fantasies for ordinary Russians have also been staggering.”
“The Kremlin plans to spend about 40 percent of Russia's budget for 2025 to keep up with the support of the Ukraine Contact Group,” he indicated.
Austin emphasized that Russia is paying a “horrific price” for its unjustified war against Ukraine, yet Putin has not achieved any of his strategic objectives.
In Germany, the 25th meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group is taking place at the Ramstein Air Base on Thursday, December 9, after a long hiatus. The last 24th meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group was held on September 6 at the Ramstein Air Base in Germany.
Leaders of the capability coalition groups within the Ramstein format approved 8 “roadmaps” that define key objectives for Ukraine's Defense Forces through 2027. The coalition roadmaps outline Ukraine's strategic goals until 2027 and serve as a foundation for medium-term and long-term support. We are also working to ensure that the Armed Forces of Ukraine are fully compatible with NATO forces, reported Defense Minister Rustem Umerov.
The first meeting at Ramstein Air Base took place on April 26, 2022.