Comment More than 100,000 Russian soldiers — and about as many Ukrainian soldiers — are estimated to have been killed or wounded in the war so far, according to Gen. Mark A. Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. “You’re looking at over 100,000 Russian soldiers killed and wounded,” Milley told the Economic Club of New York on Wednesday, according to Agence France-Presse. “Same thing probably on the Ukrainian side.” About 40,000 civilians have also been killed or injured in the war, Milley said. “There was enormous pain, human pain,” he added. The Washington Post could not independently verify the figures. Milley’s number is a sharp increase from the Pentagon’s August estimate of 70,000 to 80,000 Russian casualties. By comparison, the Soviet Union said in 1988 that it lost more than 13,000 soldiers, and more than 35,000 were wounded, in Afghanistan during the war it fought there. It comes as the Biden administration has encouraged Ukraine to be more open to talks with Russia amid growing concern in the West about the cost of a protracted conflict that has sent energy and food prices soaring. The US is privately asking Ukraine to show it is open to negotiating with Russia Officials in Kyiv say they are open to negotiations with Russia, but have set conditions, including the complete withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukrainian soil, an agreement to compensate Russia for war damage and security guarantees from other countries. As The Post reported, the Biden administration’s approach to Ukraine for peace talks included asking officials there to abandon their public refusal to negotiate with Russian leader President Vladimir Putin. The Kremlin has also signaled it is open to talks, but its own conditions appear to be at odds with Ukraine’s: After Russia illegally annexed four regions of Ukraine, Putin said “the only way to peace” is for Ukraine and the West to recognize that the people of Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson and Zaporizhia “became our citizens forever”. Despite differences in demands between the two sides, Milley said the winter could create opportunities for peace talks, with Russia ordering its forces to withdraw from the strategic southern city of Kherson on Wednesday. But first, he said, both sides had to recognize that a complete military victory “may not have been possible” in this conflict, “and therefore you have to turn to other means.” What you need to know about Russia’s withdrawal from the city of Kherson Ukrainian officials have suggested that Russia could simply be pretending to withdraw from Kherson in an attempt to trap Ukrainian troops in a battle for the city. Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, warned on Wednesday that Ukraine saw “no signs” of a unilateral withdrawal. Actions speak louder than words. We see no signs of Russia giving up Kherson without a fight. A part of the ru-group is kept in the city and additional reserves are charged in the area. 🇺🇦 release territories based on intelligence evidence, not staged TV statements. — Mykhailo Podolyak (@Podolyak_M) November 9, 2022 US officials have also indicated they are wary of reports of a Russian withdrawal. “There are some indications that the Russians intend to withdraw to the east bank of the Dnieper River,” Colin H. Kahl, the undersecretary of defense for policy, said Tuesday. “We’ll have to see how that plays out.” But Milley said Wednesday of the withdrawal: “Early indications are that they are actually doing it. They made the public announcement that they were doing it.” He said it could take weeks for Russia to withdraw its troops – 20,000 to 30,000 in Kherson – and suggested the withdrawal could be a strategic move “to maintain its strength to restore defense lines south of [Dnieper] river, but that remains to be seen.” In the meantime, Milley said, there is “a window of opportunity to negotiate.” The White House says “lines of communication” with Russia are still open “When peace can be had, seize it,” he said. “Seize the moment.”
