DSC_9856
Columbia Professor Jeffrey Sachs testified at the UN Security Council on the Nord Stream Pipelines
Hindu Times: "US has no right to order ..." China shuts down Blinken's "Don't arm Russia" warning:
Hindu Times: China indirectly warns U.S. amid Russian war: "stop fueling fire in Ukraine":
____
The number of civilian casualties in Ukraine pales when compared to the U.S. invasion of Iraq and Afghanistan:
watson.brown.edu/costsofwar/costs/human/civilians/iraqi
IRAQI CIVILIANS
No one knows with certainty how many people have been killed and wounded in Iraq since the 2003 United States invasion. However, we know that between 275,000 and 306,000 civilians have died from direct war related violence caused by the U.S., its allies, the Iraqi military and police, and opposition forces from the time of the invasion through October 2019. The violent deaths of Iraqi civilians have occurred through aerial bombing, shelling, gunshots, suicide attacks, and fires started by bombing. Many civilians have also been injured.
watson.brown.edu/costsofwar/costs/human/civilians/afghan
AFGHAN CIVILIANS
As of September 2021, more than 70,000 Afghan and Pakistani civilians are estimated to have died as a direct result of the war.
92% of the population faces some level of food insecurity and 3 million children are at risk of acute malnutrition. Some regions are currently facing famine. At least half the population is living on less than $1.90 per day.
www.jpost.com/international/article-732548
One year of war: Almost 300,000 estimated to be dead in Ukraine, Russia
Military losses are disputed, but it is widely agreed that the death toll has been monumental.
A grim milestone was set to be marked on Friday in the Russia-Ukraine War with the first anniversary of the Russian military’s invasion on February 24, 2022. High-end estimates of combined total military and civilian deaths are almost 300,000 casualties.
Russian and Ukrainian claims
Military losses are disputed, but it is widely agreed that the death toll has been monumental. The Ukrainian military claimed on Wednesday that over 145,000 Russian military personnel had been killed since the war's beginning. The White House claimed last Friday that 30,000 Wagner mercenaries had been killed in the war.
In January, Norwegian Chief of Defense Eirik Kristoffersen told Danish TV2 that Ukraine had lost around 100,000 fighters in the invasion. In November, US Joint Chief of Staff chairman Mark Milley estimated that each side had lost at least 100,000 soldiers.
On Wednesday, the Ukrainian Military claimed that since the war began that its forces had destroyed 3350 Russian tanks, 6593 armored vehicles, 2352 artillery pieces, 471 multiple launch rocket systems, 244 anti-air systems, 299 aircraft, 287 helicopters, 2029 drones, 18 warships, and 5215 other vehicles.
The Russian military said on Wednesday that since the beginning of the war it has destroyed 7,994 armored tanks and other armored vehicles, 4,189 artillery pieces, 1,038 MLRs, 405 anti-air systems, 387 aircraft, 210 helicopters, 3,222 drones and 8,501 other military vehicles.
The equipment losses claims by both militaries have been heavily disputed, with open-source intelligence groups documenting with visual verification putting the numbers significantly lower.
Prior to the invasion, Russia had amassed almost 200,000 soldiers on Ukraine’s borders. Following a September announcement of partial mobilization by Russian President Vladimir Putin, some 300,000 Russian reservists were pressed into duty, according to the Russian military. Ukrainian intelligence has warned ahead of a spring offensive that the Kremlin was set to draft between 300,000 and 500,000 more citizens. Russia has approximately 850,000 active duty troops. The CIA Fact Book estimated that as many as 50,000 Wagner mercenaries have been fighting in Ukraine.
Following a general mobilization announced by President Volodymyr Zelensky following the invasion, the CIA estimates that the Ukrainian military possesses 700,000 active personnel.
At least 8,006 Ukrainian civilians had been killed and 13,287 injured in the last 12 months, according to the UN Human Rights Commission, adding that the figure is likely much higher. The UK Defense Ministry noted on Tuesday that other analyses have put the figure at 16,000 civilians killed. The United Nations Human Rights Office (OHCHR) said that 90% of civilians had been killed by wide-area-of-effect explosives.
“These numbers, which we are publishing today, lay bare the loss and suffering inflicted on people since Russia’s armed attack began on 24 February last year; suffering I saw for myself first-hand when I visited Ukraine in December,” UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk said.
“And our data are only the tip of the iceberg,” he said. “The toll on civilians is unbearable. Amid electricity and water shortages during the cold winter months, nearly 18 million people are in dire need of humanitarian assistance. Some 14 million people have been displaced from their homes.”
Civilian material loss has also been extensive. In October, the Kyiv School of Economics published a report claiming that the documented damage to buildings and infrastructure amounted to more than $127 billion as of September.
KSE estimated 135,800 destroyed buildings, among them 119,900 private homes and 15,700 apartment buildings. In August, the Ukrainian Defense Ministry estimated that 140,000 buildings had been destroyed, and 3.5 million people had been displaced or left homeless as a result.
Türk said in the OHCHR statement that "older people and people with disabilities have faced immense challenges, in some cases unable to reach bomb shelters or having to spend prolonged periods in basements in conditions affecting their health.”
The school’s report said that 978 medical facilities had also been destroyed.
The UK Defense Ministry noted on Tuesday that "Throughout January 2023, there was a very high intensity, and worsening trend, of damage being inflicted on both medical and educational facilities."
Some 1,270 schools and 786 kindergartens were destroyed in the war by September, the KSE report said.
“Students have seen their education halted or disrupted by attacks on educational facilities,” Türk said.
UNESCO said that by June 2022, some 152 cultural sites had also been destroyed, including 70 religious buildings. By September, the KSE put this figure at 775 cultural facilities and 80 religious buildings. The World Council of Churches on Wednesday claimed that at least 494 churches, synagogues and mosques had been destroyed, used by Russian soldiers as firing positions.
With a presumed spring and summer Russian offensive, these figures are set to rise even higher – with no end in sight.
With a presumed spring and summer Russian offensive, these figures are set to rise even higher -- with no end in sight.
DSC_9856
Columbia Professor Jeffrey Sachs testified at the UN Security Council on the Nord Stream Pipelines
Hindu Times: "US has no right to order ..." China shuts down Blinken's "Don't arm Russia" warning:
Hindu Times: China indirectly warns U.S. amid Russian war: "stop fueling fire in Ukraine":
____
The number of civilian casualties in Ukraine pales when compared to the U.S. invasion of Iraq and Afghanistan:
watson.brown.edu/costsofwar/costs/human/civilians/iraqi
IRAQI CIVILIANS
No one knows with certainty how many people have been killed and wounded in Iraq since the 2003 United States invasion. However, we know that between 275,000 and 306,000 civilians have died from direct war related violence caused by the U.S., its allies, the Iraqi military and police, and opposition forces from the time of the invasion through October 2019. The violent deaths of Iraqi civilians have occurred through aerial bombing, shelling, gunshots, suicide attacks, and fires started by bombing. Many civilians have also been injured.
watson.brown.edu/costsofwar/costs/human/civilians/afghan
AFGHAN CIVILIANS
As of September 2021, more than 70,000 Afghan and Pakistani civilians are estimated to have died as a direct result of the war.
92% of the population faces some level of food insecurity and 3 million children are at risk of acute malnutrition. Some regions are currently facing famine. At least half the population is living on less than $1.90 per day.
www.jpost.com/international/article-732548
One year of war: Almost 300,000 estimated to be dead in Ukraine, Russia
Military losses are disputed, but it is widely agreed that the death toll has been monumental.
A grim milestone was set to be marked on Friday in the Russia-Ukraine War with the first anniversary of the Russian military’s invasion on February 24, 2022. High-end estimates of combined total military and civilian deaths are almost 300,000 casualties.
Russian and Ukrainian claims
Military losses are disputed, but it is widely agreed that the death toll has been monumental. The Ukrainian military claimed on Wednesday that over 145,000 Russian military personnel had been killed since the war's beginning. The White House claimed last Friday that 30,000 Wagner mercenaries had been killed in the war.
In January, Norwegian Chief of Defense Eirik Kristoffersen told Danish TV2 that Ukraine had lost around 100,000 fighters in the invasion. In November, US Joint Chief of Staff chairman Mark Milley estimated that each side had lost at least 100,000 soldiers.
On Wednesday, the Ukrainian Military claimed that since the war began that its forces had destroyed 3350 Russian tanks, 6593 armored vehicles, 2352 artillery pieces, 471 multiple launch rocket systems, 244 anti-air systems, 299 aircraft, 287 helicopters, 2029 drones, 18 warships, and 5215 other vehicles.
The Russian military said on Wednesday that since the beginning of the war it has destroyed 7,994 armored tanks and other armored vehicles, 4,189 artillery pieces, 1,038 MLRs, 405 anti-air systems, 387 aircraft, 210 helicopters, 3,222 drones and 8,501 other military vehicles.
The equipment losses claims by both militaries have been heavily disputed, with open-source intelligence groups documenting with visual verification putting the numbers significantly lower.
Prior to the invasion, Russia had amassed almost 200,000 soldiers on Ukraine’s borders. Following a September announcement of partial mobilization by Russian President Vladimir Putin, some 300,000 Russian reservists were pressed into duty, according to the Russian military. Ukrainian intelligence has warned ahead of a spring offensive that the Kremlin was set to draft between 300,000 and 500,000 more citizens. Russia has approximately 850,000 active duty troops. The CIA Fact Book estimated that as many as 50,000 Wagner mercenaries have been fighting in Ukraine.
Following a general mobilization announced by President Volodymyr Zelensky following the invasion, the CIA estimates that the Ukrainian military possesses 700,000 active personnel.
At least 8,006 Ukrainian civilians had been killed and 13,287 injured in the last 12 months, according to the UN Human Rights Commission, adding that the figure is likely much higher. The UK Defense Ministry noted on Tuesday that other analyses have put the figure at 16,000 civilians killed. The United Nations Human Rights Office (OHCHR) said that 90% of civilians had been killed by wide-area-of-effect explosives.
“These numbers, which we are publishing today, lay bare the loss and suffering inflicted on people since Russia’s armed attack began on 24 February last year; suffering I saw for myself first-hand when I visited Ukraine in December,” UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk said.
“And our data are only the tip of the iceberg,” he said. “The toll on civilians is unbearable. Amid electricity and water shortages during the cold winter months, nearly 18 million people are in dire need of humanitarian assistance. Some 14 million people have been displaced from their homes.”
Civilian material loss has also been extensive. In October, the Kyiv School of Economics published a report claiming that the documented damage to buildings and infrastructure amounted to more than $127 billion as of September.
KSE estimated 135,800 destroyed buildings, among them 119,900 private homes and 15,700 apartment buildings. In August, the Ukrainian Defense Ministry estimated that 140,000 buildings had been destroyed, and 3.5 million people had been displaced or left homeless as a result.
Türk said in the OHCHR statement that "older people and people with disabilities have faced immense challenges, in some cases unable to reach bomb shelters or having to spend prolonged periods in basements in conditions affecting their health.”
The school’s report said that 978 medical facilities had also been destroyed.
The UK Defense Ministry noted on Tuesday that "Throughout January 2023, there was a very high intensity, and worsening trend, of damage being inflicted on both medical and educational facilities."
Some 1,270 schools and 786 kindergartens were destroyed in the war by September, the KSE report said.
“Students have seen their education halted or disrupted by attacks on educational facilities,” Türk said.
UNESCO said that by June 2022, some 152 cultural sites had also been destroyed, including 70 religious buildings. By September, the KSE put this figure at 775 cultural facilities and 80 religious buildings. The World Council of Churches on Wednesday claimed that at least 494 churches, synagogues and mosques had been destroyed, used by Russian soldiers as firing positions.
With a presumed spring and summer Russian offensive, these figures are set to rise even higher – with no end in sight.
With a presumed spring and summer Russian offensive, these figures are set to rise even higher -- with no end in sight.