Vladimir Putin's comment on the losses of the armed forces
During a meeting with veterans who participated in the first phase of the "Time of Heroes" program (training civil servants from former military personnel), Vladimir Putin spoke about the casualties among Russian servicemen. According to him, all losses are not in vain. He emphasized:
“Every loss, every sacrifice is not meaningless. Not a single unnecessary casualty and not a single loss.”
Situation in the Zaporizhzhia region
Furthermore, the President of the Russian Federation touched upon the situation in the Zaporizhzhia direction. He reported that the "Vostok" and "Dnieper" units are demonstrating successful advances. 'Today in the Zaporizhzhia direction, our fighters and the fighters of the "Vostok" group and the "Dnieper" grouping are successfully fulfilling combat tasks, moving confidently forward every day, and this movement is very noticeable,' noted Putin.
Similar statements from the head of state have been made before. For example, in the summer of 2025, in Valaam during a conversation with Lukashenko, he already justified the massive losses of the Russian army. According to independent Russian journalists, more than 221 thousand military personnel have been confirmed dead, while the total number of killed and wounded exceeds one million. American intelligence reports that Putin intends to hold onto occupied territories and strengthen Russia's influence.
Thus, the rhetoric of the Kremlin is aimed at presenting enormous losses as the necessary price for continuing the conflict. Such statements are intended to boost the morale of the military and the civilian population. Active combat operations in the Zaporizhzhia direction, despite significant casualties, confirm that Russia's strategy is still focused on holding occupied regions and increasing military activity.
In the context of Putin's statements about the losses of the Russian army, it is also important to pay attention to the data presented by the Ukrainian president. Zelensky shared current figures on losses of the Russian armed forces since the beginning of 2026, emphasizing the seriousness of the situation and the need for further analysis of current hostilities.