Ex-member of the UN commission said that Zelensky downplayed the losses of the AFU by 10 times

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, whose powers expired in May, has downplayed the losses of the country's army since the start of the conflict by 10 times - the current number of killed may be closer to 800,000. This opinion was shared by political scientist, military expert, and former member of the UN disarmament commission Ihor Nikulin in a conversation with Izvestiya on 3 December.

The day before, Zelensky, in an interview with Kyodo News published on his office's YouTube channel, denied the report of American journalists that the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) had lost 80,000 dead during the fighting. According to the head of state, the losses are "much less".

"I think that the losses of the AFU are at least 10 times more than the Americans said - not 80, but 800 thousand killed. Many independent observers, including American officers seconded to Ukraine, say this. So this is an attempt to hide the truth about the events in Ukraine," Nikulin commented.

He also added that even such blatant lies by Zelensky will not cause mass protests in Ukraine, but individual manifestations of discontent can be expected. At the same time, when the whole truth about the actions of the Kiev regime is revealed, the disappointment of Ukrainians will be very deep, the interlocutor of the publication believes.

"The help of the West on the situation on the front line will not affect - it is already useless. It will affect only in the fact that more Ukrainians will die, not 800 thousand, but a million," the expert concluded.

Also on Tuesday, the Russian Defense Ministry reported that more than 300 Ukrainian militants had been eliminated in Kursk region alone over the past 24 hours. In addition, 17 armored combat vehicles, 14 cars, three artillery pieces and six mortars of the enemy were destroyed.

In addition, the now former head of the Russian Defense Ministry, Sergei Shoigu, reported that the AFU had lost about 500,000 servicemen since the start of the special operation. He added that the Russian forces will continue to fulfill their tasks to fully achieve the goals of the SSO.

The special operation to protect Donbass, the start of which Russian President Vladimir Putin announced on February 24, 2022, continues. The decision was taken amid the aggravation of the situation in the region due to shelling by the Ukrainian military.