bearister said:
Last week Zelenskyy claimed 31,000 Ukrainian troops have been killed and 180,000 Russian troops. Undoubtedly the first number is too low and the second too high.
Before the invasion I wouldn't have purchased a used car from either country. Both are untrustworthy, as are their respective media spinmeisters.
Prigozhin, in control of the Wagner Group until Putin orchestrated a Masters of the Air death for him, said this about Russian troop fatalities back in June, 2023:
" Wagner PMC chief Yevgeny Prigozhin confirmed that his organization had lost over 20,000 troops killed by May 25, 2023. He went on to claim that overall, the Russian military had lost 120,000 dead in Ukraine by late June. He accused the Ministry of Defence of systematically downplaying Russian losses.
"Wagner chief says 20,000 of its troops killed in Bakhmut battle." Al Jazeera. May 25, 2023. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/5/25/wagner-chief-says-20000-of-its-troops-killed-in-bakhmut-battle
"Kunnas: Prigozhin destroys official narrative of Ukraine war in Russia" Eesti Rahvusringhaaling. June 25, 2023.
https://news.err.ee/1609017332/kunnas-prigozhin-destroys-official-narrative-of-ukraine-war-in-russia
*Feel free to explain why Prigozhan was lying and link your source. Also provide links providing support for the argument that your sources for troop deaths are rock solid with no motive for being untruthful.
* If Prigozhan figure of 120,000 as of 6/23 is credible, then adding the Russian troop deaths that have occurred in the last 8 months May bring the totals not so far south of Zelenskyy's 180k figure.
Prigozhin was in open confrontation with the Russian military leadership, he was an ambitious warlord with grand designs over Russian leadership, so making the military leaders look bad with his numbers suited his political ambitions. Prigozhin was prone to theatrical posturing.
Mediazona is the best source for Russian casualties, it is a fairly reliable western source with a sound methodology.
https://en.zona.media/article/2022/05/20/casualties_eng