Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky and US President Joe Biden at the G7 summit, Hiroshima, Japan, May 21, 2023

Tuesday’s Coverage: Russia Fires Record Number of Attack Drones

Map: Institute for the Study of War

UPDATE 1323 GMT:

The Economist estimates between 60,000 to 100,000 Ukrainian soldiers have been killed during Russia’s invasion. Another 400,000 are too injured to continue fighting.

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky acknowledged in February that 31,000 Ukrainian troops have been killed.

The Economist based its estimates on leaked or published intelligence reports; statements from defense officials and researchers; and open-source intelligence.

Almost one in 20 Ukrainian fighting-age men have been killed or injured, it assesses.

In September, the Wall Street Journal estimated that Ukraine had lost 80,000 soldiers killed and 400,000 wounded.

UPDATE 1307 GMT:

Citing security concerns, Germany is closing the Berlin bureau of Russian State outlet Channel One. A coorespondent and cameraman have been ordered to leave the country.

Russia’s Foreign Ministry is retaliating by expelling one correspondent and one cameraman from Germany’s ARD.

UPDATE 1259 GMT:

A Ukrainian delegation led by Defense Minister Rustem Umerov is meeting South Korea’s President Yoon Suk Yeol and senior officials in Seoul.

In a statement, Yoon’s office expressed the President’s hopes for effective ways to cope with the security threat posed by North Korean-Russian military cooperation, including the deployment of Pyongyang’s troops in Russia.

The Ukrainians later met with National Security Advisor Shin Wonsik and with Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun about the Russian invasion, sharing of information about the North Korean troops in Russia and North Korean-Russian weapons and technology transfers, and coordination with the US.

UPDATE 1238 GMT:

Russian legislators have approved an almost 30% increase in defense spending next year.

The 2025 budget devotes a record 13.5 trillion rubles ($125 billion) to “national defense”, more than spending on welfare and education combined.

The defense allocation does not include other resources for the invasion of Ukraine, including top-secret outlays and funds for “domestic security”.

UPDATE 1112 GMT:

Ukraine’s first strike with a UK-supplied Storm Shadow missile inside Russia killed several North Korean officers and injured a general, sources tell the Financial Times.

The Storm Shadow was part of an attack on a command headquarters in the Kursk region in western Russia on November 20. Moscow is trying to reclaim territory held by Ukraine since a cross-border incursion on August 6.

A Ukrainian official said Kyiv’s forces are searching for and targeting dispersed North Korean military positions.

UPDATE 0953 GMT:

At least two civilians have been killed and at least 17 injured by Russian attacks across Ukraine in the past 24 hours.

The fatalities were in the Sumy region in northern Ukraine. Casualties were also reported in the Kyiv region, the Donetsk region in the east, and the Kherson region in the south.

Air defenses downed 36 of 89 Iran-type drones launched by Russia overnight. Another 48 were lost to electronic counter-measures, and five flew towards Belarus, Russia, and occupied territories.

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky said in his nightly video to the nation:

The only way to defend against such attacks is by destroying Russian weapons and launch systems on Russian territory. This is why the ability to strike Russian territory is so crucial for us. It is the only effective way to limit Russia’s terror and, ultimately, its ability to wage war.

UPDATE 0946 GMT:

The World Bank has loaned Ukraine $4.8 billion for social expenditures.

Prime Minister Denys Shymhal confirmed the loan through the Public Expenditures for Administrative Capacity Endurance (PEACE) Project, which supports pensions, internally displaced persons, and salaries for teachers, first responders, and other state employees.

During Russia’s full-scale invasion, PEACE has provided around $35.5 billion.

ORIGINAL ENTRY: US President Joe Biden is asking Congress to approve $24 billion in aid to Ukraine before he leaves office.

Around $16 billion will restock American arsenals. The remaining $8 billion will support the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, a program supplying arms to Ukraine through contracts with US defense companies.

Two Congressional sources confirmed that legislators received the request on Monday.

The Administration is hoping to complete the approval before Donald Trump, who has indicated he will cut aid for Ukraine’s resistance of the 33-month Russian invasion, enters the White House on January 20.

The proposed assistance may be included in a bill to avert a Government shutdown next month.

The Trumpist Sen. Mike Lee of Utah responded, “Congress must not give [Biden] a free gift to further sabotage President Trump’s peace negotiations on the way out the door.”