Ukraine says 400 civilian deaths recorded

Kyiv, March 8

Ukrainian Defence Minister Oleksiy Reznikov has released new estimates of casualties and damage from the Russian war, saying Russian military actions have killed 38 children and wounded more than 70.

Overall at least 400 civilian deaths have been recorded and 800 wounded, though “these data are definitely incomplete,” he said in a video address.

It was not immediately possible to verify the figures.

He said Russian strikes have destroyed more than 200 Ukrainian schools, 34 hospitals, and 1,500 residential buildings.

He estimated some 10,000 foreign students, notably from India, China, and the Persian Gulf are trapped by the fighting, and described attacks on British and Swiss journalists.

He claimed that Ukrainian forces have killed more than 11,000 Russian troops.

“Russian invaders fire on humanitarian corridors through which civilians are trying to escape,” he said, without saying where.

Russian officials did not comment Tuesday and have only acknowledged several hundred deaths among Russian forces.