Russia's army admitted Sunday that there were "killed and injured" soldiers among its troops in Ukraine on the fourth day of its invasion, without saying how many had died there.
"Russian servicemen are showing courage and heroism while fulfilling combat tasks in the special military operation," Moscow's army spokesman Igor Konashenkov said on state television.
"Unfortunately, there are killed and injured among our comrades."
This was the first time Moscow had spoken about losing men in Ukraine since President Vladimir Putin launched the invasion in the early hours of Thursday.
Konashenkov said the Russian army would return Ukrainian prisoners of war "who surrender" to their families.
Fighting in Ukraine has claimed dozens of civilian lives, forced hundreds of thousands to flee their homes and turned Russia into a global pariah.
Ukraine said it had agreed to send a delegation to meet Russian representatives at the border with Belarus, which has allowed Russian troops passage to attack Ukraine, insisting there were no pre-conditions to the talks.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
