European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen triggered angry reactions from Ukraine after she released war casualty data in Ukraine. In a social media video, von der Leyen said that so far the number of war casualties in Ukraine amounted to 20,000 civilians and 100,000 soldiers.
Shortly afterwards, Ukrainian presidential spokesman Sergei Nikiforov posted a tweet saying that these figures were “sensitive” information, which should only be announced by the supreme commander of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, the defense minister, or the president.
Shortly after the Ukrainian rebuke, von der Leyen removed the video and reposted without the specific line referencing the Ukrainian casualties.
While the source of von der Leyen’s data was not revealed, last month Chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff General Mark Milley said that more than 100,000 Russian servicemen have been killed or wounded since the start of the war in Ukraine, and Ukrainian casualties are likely similar.
“You’re looking at well over 100,000 Russian soldiers killed and wounded. Same thing probably on the Ukrainian side,” Milley said in early November.
The huge loss of life in the conflict has not significantly slowed the war efforts of either nation, with both sides putting up a defense in some areas and conducting offensives in others. U.S. intelligence officials report that Russia is likely to prepare an offensive in the spring, which is likely lead to another steep increase in casualties.
