Russia's daily casualties hit record high in Ukraine, says UK report
According to the British Ministry of Defense, the average daily casualties in Ukraine, including both killed and wounded Russians, was 983 in February, marking the highest figures since the conflict's onset. The ministry's Sunday intelligence update attributed this surge to Russia's adoption of attrition warfare tactics. Despite the significant human cost, this strategy has increased pressure on Ukrainian defenses.
10:13 AM EST, March 3, 2024
The update further noted that Russian casualties in Ukraine to date, encompassing both fatalities and injuries, have likely surpassed 355,000.
The intelligence update also presented a chart illustrating the average daily Russian casualties from March 2022 to February 2023.
Turkey steps into the mediation role?
As reported by Reuters, Hakan Fidan, the Turkish foreign minister, has called for the initiation of ceasefire discussions in Ukraine. Fidan argued that sovereignty and cessation of hostilities should be addressed independently during a press briefing following a diplomatic forum in Antalya.
"Dialogue on a ceasefire needs to begin. This doesn’t equate to acknowledging the occupation (by Russia), but sovereignty and ceasefire discussions must be separate," stated the minister.
On Wednesday, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the Turkish President, affirmed Turkey's readiness to facilitate peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine anew. He emphasized the importance of diplomacy and dialogue for reaching a "fair and lasting solution" to the conflict. "We should start concerted efforts at least to define peace's main parameters," Erdogan remarked.
Erdogan also expressed Turkey's foundational support for President Volodymyr Zelensky's 10-point peace plan and committed to assisting in the "rapid repair and reconstruction" of Ukraine.
