Ukrinform reports this, citing President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky, who said it in an interview with CBS News.
“We believe that they (the Russians – ed.) will lose 300,000 people this year. We are talking about those killed. This would mean that they will have one million people killed over five years of war. Once again – one million killed,” he said.
According to Zelensky, Putin continues the war because he does not feel sufficient pressure from his own society.
“But he will feel it. It has already begun,” Zelensky added.
According to the President, the main reason why the Kremlin leader is not stopping the war is his fear for his own life.
Read also: Zelensky outlines conditions for Ukraine to halt strikes on Russian energy facilities“He cannot stop because he thinks that if they stop now, it will not be perceived as a victory. What is happening now is the opposite of a victory for them. Therefore, if he stops now, he fears that the soldiers will return home angry and turn against him. He already had such a precedent with the Wagner fighters. But then there were 5,000 people. But if one million return, it will be a lot louder,” he added.
According to Zelensky, Putin does not want peace, but he understands that he needs to find a way to end the war in a manner that would appear to be a “victory” to Russian society.
“He believes that his minimum goal is the occupation of Donetsk region in its entirety, and he is selling this to his people,” the President said, adding that the Russians keep pushing back the deadlines for achieving this goal.
As previously reported by Ukrinform, citing British intelligence, at least half a million Russian soldiers have already been killed in Russia’s war against Ukraine since the start of the all-out hostilities in February 2022.
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