Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has revealed that approximately 55,000 Ukrainian soldiers have been killed in the ongoing conflict with Russia. According to Zelenskyy, a "large number" of those who are still missing on the battlefield should also be included in this casualty count.
Zelenskyy's comments come as negotiations between Ukraine and Russia continue in Abu Dhabi, with both sides trying to reach a ceasefire agreement that would bring an end to Europe's largest conflict since World War II. The talks have been described by Ukrainian negotiator Rustem Umerov as "productive," but so far, the two sides remain far apart on key issues.
Russia has also incurred significant losses in the war, with estimates suggesting that nearly 420,000 Russian soldiers were killed or wounded in 2025 alone. However, both Ukraine and Russia have been accused of underreporting their own casualty figures while inflating those of the other side.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated that Russia will continue to fight until Kyiv makes the necessary "decisions" to bring an end to the war. The most contentious issues include Moscow's demands for Ukraine to give up land it still controls and the fate of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, as well as Ukraine's refusal to pull its troops out of territory it still controls.
The conflict has already resulted in significant human costs, with a recent report by the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine estimating that 2,514 civilians were killed and 12,142 injured in 2025. The overall toll on both sides is likely to be much higher, given the reluctance of both governments to release accurate casualty figures.
As talks continue, it remains to be seen whether an agreement can be reached that would bring a measure of peace to Ukraine and an end to the devastating conflict with Russia.
Zelenskyy's comments come as negotiations between Ukraine and Russia continue in Abu Dhabi, with both sides trying to reach a ceasefire agreement that would bring an end to Europe's largest conflict since World War II. The talks have been described by Ukrainian negotiator Rustem Umerov as "productive," but so far, the two sides remain far apart on key issues.
Russia has also incurred significant losses in the war, with estimates suggesting that nearly 420,000 Russian soldiers were killed or wounded in 2025 alone. However, both Ukraine and Russia have been accused of underreporting their own casualty figures while inflating those of the other side.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated that Russia will continue to fight until Kyiv makes the necessary "decisions" to bring an end to the war. The most contentious issues include Moscow's demands for Ukraine to give up land it still controls and the fate of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, as well as Ukraine's refusal to pull its troops out of territory it still controls.
The conflict has already resulted in significant human costs, with a recent report by the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine estimating that 2,514 civilians were killed and 12,142 injured in 2025. The overall toll on both sides is likely to be much higher, given the reluctance of both governments to release accurate casualty figures.
As talks continue, it remains to be seen whether an agreement can be reached that would bring a measure of peace to Ukraine and an end to the devastating conflict with Russia.