Volodymyr Zelensky revealed that 55,000 Ukrainian soldiers have died during the four-year war with Russia, while tens of thousands more remain missing.
Foreign news agencies reported that Volodymyr Zelensky, President of Ukraine, disclosed that the number of Ukrainian soldiers killed in battle during nearly four years of war with Russia stands at 55,000, with many others officially listed as missing.
Zelensky made this disclosure during an interview with France 2 television in France on Wednesday (4 Feb 2026 GMT+7).
Ukraine and Russia regularly estimate the opposing side's military losses but tend to withhold details about their own casualties. However, BBC has confirmed nearly 160,000 names of soldiers who died fighting for Russia.
The last time Zelensky updated the figures was in December 2024, when he cited 43,000 deaths. Meanwhile, Ukraine's Ministry of the Interior reported six months ago that over 70,000 people, including both soldiers and civilians, were officially recorded as missing.
However, the actual numbers of deaths and missing persons may be much higher, as such information is highly sensitive and impacts morale.
Meanwhile, representatives from Ukraine and Russia are holding joint talks on Thursday (5 Feb 2026 GMT+7) in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, with US special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, former President Trump's son-in-law, also participating.
These talks mark the second trilateral meeting between Ukraine, Russia, and the US aimed at finalizing the details of a US-proposed peace agreement. Witkoff posted on X that the discussions are “detailed and productive” but added that “there is still much work to be done.”
The toughest issue remains territorial, with Russia demanding Ukraine cede the remaining parts of the Donbas region, an eastern industrial area not yet under Moscow’s control.
Zelensky stated that the negotiations are challenging and that Ukraine intends to negotiate as constructively as possible, while also wanting to see faster results.
Follow international news:https://www.thairath.co.th/news/foreign
Source:bbc