Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on Sunday, December 8, that close to 43,000 Ukrainian soldiers have died in the ongoing war with Russia, while at least 370,000 others have been wounded. In a post on social media, he provided these figures as part of a broader update on the conflict’s toll.
Zelensky said Russian casualties have been at least as heavy, with more than 750,000 in all, including 198,000 killed and more than 550,000 injured. “Since the start of the full-scale war, Ukraine has lost 43,000 soldiers killed in action on the battlefield. There have been 370,000 cases of medical assistance for the wounded,” he said. He added that about half of the injured soldiers are returning to the front lines, and the figures include light and repeat injuries.
This announcement came after U.S. President-elect Donald Trump called for an “immediate ceasefire” and negotiations between Ukraine and Russia. Trump estimated Ukrainian casualties at 400,000 and claimed that Russia has lost about 600,000 troops, figures significantly higher than those shared by Zelensky.
“There should be an immediate ceasefire and negotiations should begin. Too many lives are being needlessly wasted, too many families destroyed,” Trump wrote on Truth Social, saying the time to act has come for Russian President Vladimir Putin. He added that China may be able to help facilitate peace.
Zelensky’s recent talks with Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron came on the grand reopening of Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris. According to the Ukrainian leader, the one-on-one talks were “good and productive,” adding that the trio agreed to work together to find a solution to the crisis. Macron hosted the meeting at the Elysee Palace, marking the first face-to-face encounter between Zelensky and Trump since U.S. elections on Nov. 5.