Russia lost hundreds of troops, five tanks over Christmas: Ukraine

Russia lost hundreds of troops and at least five tanks over Christmas, according to Ukrainian officials.

The General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces reported on Monday that at least 102,600 Russian soldiers have died since Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine in February.

About 550 of those soldiers died between Christmas Day and Boxing Day, according to the report. Five Russian tanks were also destroyed during that period, it said —adding to a tally that has topped 3,000.

Ukrainian and Russian officials have been contacted for comment.

It comes after Russian President Vladimir Putin said that the vast majority of Russians were willing to sacrifice their lives for their country.

“As for the most—99.9%—of our citizens, our people that are ready to sacrifice everything for the Motherland, it doesn’t strike me as unusual,” Putin said in an interview during a Christmas Day broadcast from Moscow.

“But it just reassures me yet again that Russia is a special country and it has special people.” He was also dismissive of those who acted against his goals, saying they “didn’t act like true patriots.”

Putin also said Russia was ready for talks to end the war in Ukraine even as the country faced more attacks from Moscow.

Russia is “prepared to negotiate some acceptable outcomes with all the participants of this process,” Putin said in a state television interview, according to the Associated Press.

“It’s not us who refuse talks, it’s them,” he said. That has been claimed repeatedly by the Kremlin in recent months as Russia’s invasion lost momentum.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky warned his people not to let down their guard as the year comes to a close, because Putin “will be trying to compensate for his losses.”

“There are a few days left in this year. We must be aware that our enemy will try to make this time dark and difficult for us,” Zelensky said in his nightly address.

“I know that the darkness will not prevent us from leading the occupiers to their new defeats, but we must be prepared for any scenario.”

Since October, Russian forces have “largely focused” on constructing defensive positions along much of the front line in Ukraine, British’s Ministry of Defense reported on Monday.

“This includes laying additional fields of anti-tank and anti-personnel mines, almost certainly going beyond Russian doctrinal guidelines,” the ministry said in its latest intelligence update.

“Minefields only present an effective obstacle for trained troops if covered by observation and fire. A major challenge for the Russian forces will likely be a shortage of surveillance assets and trained personnel to effectively monitor large areas of the new minefields.”