**Russia’s Ukraine Invasion: Heavy Losses Mount**
Russia has suffered a staggering number of casualties in its invasion of Ukraine, with over 1 million troops killed or wounded since February 2022. According to the General Staff of Ukraine’s Armed Forces, Russia has lost around 1,020,010 troops, including 10,980 tanks, 22,922 armored fighting vehicles, and 42,796 drones.
The losses have been mounting steadily over the past day, with Russian forces suffering 1,070 casualties. The sheer scale of the destruction is evident in the number of military equipment lost by Russia, which includes 53,593 vehicles and fuel tanks, 29,718 artillery systems, and 1,427 multiple launch rocket systems.
**Growing Tensions**
The situation on the ground remains tense, with reports emerging of new attacks on Ukrainian cities. In a recent statement, Mayor Andrii Sadovyi reported that despite an overnight combined attack, no one was injured or civilian buildings damaged in Lviv. However, Maksym Ustymenko, a Ukrainian airman, lost his life while trying to shoot down seven aerial targets.
**Global Response**
The international community is also responding to the crisis. The United States has condemned Russia’s actions, and CIA Director John Ratcliffe reported that most of Iran’s stockpile of enriched uranium remains buried under rubble at the Isfahan and Fordo nuclear sites. Slovakia’s Foreign Minister Juraj Blanar called for respect for international law and a return to diplomatic channels.
**Ukraine’s Military Gains Ground**
Despite the heavy losses, Ukraine’s military is gaining ground. The country has set up 110 new locations for its air defenses, bringing the total number close to 120 – more than were operating in Ukraine before the war. Pope Leo XIV welcomed Ukrainian Greek Catholic pilgrims to the Vatican and offered his blessing to mothers of soldiers killed on the front lines.
**Other Developments**
Azerbaijan has cancelled all planned cultural events hosted alongside Russian state and private organizations, citing the deaths of two Azerbaijani citizens during police raids in the Russian city of Yekaterinburg. In a separate development, Slovakia’s Prime Minister Robert Fico claimed that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky “hates” him, further straining relations between the two countries.
**What’s Next?**
As the conflict continues to escalate, the international community is left wondering what’s next for Ukraine and Russia. One thing is clear: the human toll of this war will be felt for years to come.
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