KYIV (Reuters – Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zeleskiy stated that between 2,500 and 3,000 Ukrainian soldiers have been killed during seven weeks of conflict with Russia, while approximately 10,000 were injured.

CNN reported that he did not count civilian casualties.

According to him, 19,000-20,000 Russian soldiers were killed during the eight week war. Moscow claimed last month that 1351 Russian soldiers were killed and 3 825 injured.

Reuters couldn’t independently verify the figures of any side.

As Russia attempted to take Mariupol, fighting erupted in the port city. Mariupol was once home to more than 400,000 inhabitants before Russia invaded. Now it is a rubble city. Numerous civilians were killed and many more are still trapped.

Mariupol’s situation is very difficult. Combative activities are taking place right now. “The Russian army keeps calling for additional troops to storm the city,” Oleksandr Motuzyanyk, spokesperson of defence ministry told briefing. He stated that the Russians had not captured the city completely.

Russia claimed it found a plant near Kyiv, which it said made anti-ship missile repairs after Thursday’s sinking of the Moskva. This was the Moskva, Moscow’s flagship in the Black Sea fleet.

Ukraine claimed that one of its missiles caused the Moskva’s sinking, an important symbol of its resistance against a stronger-armed enemy. Moscow claimed that the ship was lost in stormy seas, following an explosion of ammo and that over 500 sailors had been evacuated.

According to a U.S. senior official, the United States believed that two Ukrainian missiles struck Moskva. However, it was unclear how many Russian casualties were involved.

The accuracy of any assessment could not be independently confirmed.

VICTORIES SIGNIFICANT’

Zelenskiy acknowledged that it was difficult to find the right military solution in the South and East, while applauding the hard work of his Armed Forces.

Our military’s victories on the battlefield have been historically important. They are not sufficient to rid our country of their occupiers. In a video message to his late-night audience, he said that they would beat them even more and called on allies for heavier weapons as well as an international embargo of Russian oil.

Zelenskiy asked President Joe Biden to make Russia an “state sponsor” of terrorist activities. This would allow Russia to join North Korea and Iran as well as Syria.

The White House spokesperson said, “We will continue considering all options for increasing the pressure on Putin.”

According to sources, Denys Khmyhal (the Ukrainian Prime Minister) and the top financial officials will attend meetings at Washington’s International Monetary Fund or World Bank next week.

This will be the first time that key Ukrainian officials have met with representatives from financial institutions of advanced economies after Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24th.

HOLDING OUT IN MARIUPOL

Moscow would capture Mariupol if it wins.

Russia’s Defense Ministry claimed that it has captured the Illich Steel Works in Moscow. This report was not confirmed. According to the report, Ukrainian defenders may be based in Azovstal which is another large steel plant.

Metinvest, Ukraine’s most powerful businessman and the backbone of Ukraine’s industrial east, owns these plants. Metinvest said Friday to Reuters that Russia would not allow their enterprises to continue operating under Russian control.

Moscow used its naval strength to prevent Ukrainian ports from being opened and threatened an amphibious landing on the coast. It could have a hard time threatening Ukraine by sea without the Moskva. This is the biggest warship to sink in conflict since the 1982 Falklands War.

Russia described initially its intentions in Ukraine its “special military operation” to defeat the Ukrainian nationalists and disarm their neighbor.

Moscow declared its primary war objective to seize the Donbas after its invading force was evacuated from Kyiv’s outskirts this month. The eastern region has been held partly by Russian-backed separatists ever since 2014.

These are the bogus reasons for a war of aggression unprovoked by Kyiv, its Western allies. It has forced a quarter of Ukraine’s 44million inhabitants from their homes and caused thousands of deaths.