The Economist estimates that 60,000 to 100,000 Ukrainian soldiers died in full-scale war

Most important developments on November 27:

• The Economist estimates that 60,000 to 100,000 Ukrainian soldiers died in full-scale war

• Russia claims Ukrainian drones and missiles have attacked Crimea and an explosion has been reported near the airport

• Ukrainian soldiers repel attempted Russian attack in Zaporizhia sector, National Guard commander says

• Trump nominates retired General Keith Kellogg as peace envoy to Ukraine

Between 60,000 and 100,000 Ukrainian soldiers have been killed According to estimates by The Economist, published on November 26, another 400,000 people are too injured to continue fighting.

Kiev has largely avoided disclosing the full extent of its military casualties, with President Volodymyr Zelensky only acknowledging in February that 31,000 Ukrainian fighters have been killed.

By basing his calculations on leaked or published intelligence reports, defense officials, researchers and open source intelligence, The Economist wrote that Russia And Ukraine lost more of their population than the US during the Korean and Vietnam Wars combined.

Nearly one in twenty Ukrainian men of fighting age has been killed or injured as a result of the war, The Economist wrote.

In September the Wall Street Journal provided similar estimates, stating that Ukraine had lost 80,000 soldiers killed and 400,000 wounded. The newspaper estimated Russia’s losses at 200,000 dead and 400,000 wounded.

The exact figures for both sides are virtually impossible to determine, as Kiev and Moscow are secretive about their casualties. The last figure provided by Russian authorities was 5,937 soldiers killed in September 2022.

In turn, the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces estimated total Russian losses at well over 735,000 as of November 27. The losses suffered by Russia during the full-scale war are believed to be greater than in all the wars since 1945 combined.

According to The Economist, the numbers of civilian casualties are even more difficult to determine, but are likely to reach many tens of thousands.

The UN mission in Ukraine has confirmed this 11,743 civilians were killed from the summer, but the number is likely higher as Russia blocks observers’ access to occupied territories, especially those likely to have seen the heaviest civilian casualties, such as Mariupol.

Also read: With Russian losses in Ukraine surpassing 700,000, Putin has few options not to mobilize

Russia claims Ukraine's drones, missiles attacked Crimea, explosion reported near airfield

Ukrainian drones and missiles attacked the coast city ​​of Sevastopol in occupied Crimea on November 27, claimed Mikhail Razvozhayev, the city’s Russia-installed proxy head.

Russian air defenses shot down two missiles and five drones, Razvozhayev said, claiming the Ukrainian projectiles were shot down over water. Drone debris also reportedly fell near the Kacha highway.

The pro-Ukrainian Crimea Wind telegram channel reported explosions and active air defenses in Sevastopol, as well as near the Belbek military airport and elsewhere on the occupied peninsula.

The canal too shared a photo of the Nakhimov Naval Academy with smoke behind it. The authenticity of the images or the cause of the smoke could not be immediately verified.

The Mash Telegram channel claimed that about 40 drones, Neptune missiles and unidentified cruise missiles flew towards the northwestern part of the Crimean Peninsula. All projectiles were shot down, the station wrote.

The Kiev Independent could not verify the claims.

Also read: Ukraine’s drones are known for their low cost. Buntar Aerospace wants to turn it into a boutique

Ukrainian soldiers repel attempted Russian attack in Zaporizhzhia sector, National Guard commander says

Ukrainian soldiers divested An attempt at a Russian offensive in the Zaporizhia sector said General Oleksandr Pivnenko, the commander of the Ukrainian National Guard, on November 27.

In early October, Russian forces reportedly renewed their attack in the Zaporizhia sector. Kiev warned of a potential Russian put pressure on the southern region, saying Moscow sent trained strike groups to frontline positions in mid-November.

Aerial reconnaissance by the Ukrainian Spartan Brigade spotted Russian forces planning to attack the island National Guard positions in advance with an infantry group, Pivnenko saidsharing images of the attack.

He did not specify the scale of the attack or the number of Russian troops involved in the offensive.

According to the commander, Russia is mainly trying to carry out attacks and reconnaissance attacks in the Zaporizhia sector with infantry groups consisting of 3 to 10 people.

“The enemy rarely uses equipment,” Pivnenko said. “But our soldiers destroy enemy personnel and firepower quickly and accurately.”

The Kiev Independent was unable to verify these reports.

Also read: Once liberated, Kupiansk is bracing for the worst as Russian forces close in, and future Western support appears uncertain

Trump nominates retired General Keith Kellogg for Ukraine peace envoy

US President-elect Donald Trump nominated Former National Security Advisor to the Vice President, retired General Keith Kellogg, will lead negotiations as Ukraine’s special peace envoy to end Russia’s all-out war, Trump announced on November 27.

“Together, through strength, we will secure peace and make America and the world safe again,” Trump said on his social media network Truth Social.

In June, Reuters reported that Kellogg and another top Trump adviser, Frederick H. Fleitz, proposed him a plan That would cut off military aid to Ukraine unless the country agrees to peace negotiations with Russia.

The two also reportedly proposed freezing the front lines in their current position and taking that of Ukraine Accession to NATO from the table.

Keith Kellogg, 80, previously served as executive secretary and chief of staff of the U.S. National Security Council in the former Trump administration. He was also a top adviser to then US Vice President Mike Pence.

Last week, Reuters reported that Trump was considering his former intelligence director diplomat Richard Grenellas special Ukrainian peace envoy.

We’ve been working hard to bring you independent, locally produced news from Ukraine. To consider support for the Kiev Independent.