How many died in Ukraine war 2022?

About 100,000 Russian soldiers have been killed and wounded since the invasion of Ukraine, and Kyiv’s armed forces “probably” suffered a similar level of casualties, the top US general says.

General Mark Milley’s remarks on Wednesday offer the highest US estimate of casualties to date in the nearly nine-month-old conflict, and came as Ukraine and Russia face a potential winter lull in fighting that analysts say could offer an opportunity for some kind of negotiations.

Asked about prospects for diplomacy in Ukraine, Milley noted the early refusal to negotiate in World War I compounded human suffering and led to millions more casualties.

“So when there’s an opportunity to negotiate, when peace can be achieved … seize the moment,” Milley told the Economic Club of New York.

Earlier on Wednesday, Russia announced its troops would withdraw from the west bank of the Dnieper River near the strategic southern Ukrainian city of Kherson – in a significant setback for Moscow and potential turning point in the war.

‘Perhaps even weeks’

Milley and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy refrained from overplaying the significance of Moscow’s retreat from Kherson, even as US President Joe Biden suggested it was evidence that eight months into the war Russia has “real problems” on the battlefield.

Zelenskyy has suggested Russia could be strategically feigning a pullback.

“The enemy does not bring us gifts, does not make ‘gestures of goodwill’,” Zelenskyy said, adding any gains by Ukraine come at the expense of “lives lost by our heroes”.

Milley said initial indicators suggest Russia was following through with its withdrawal from Kherson. But he cautioned it could take time to complete.

“It won’t take them a day or two, this is going to take them days – and perhaps even weeks – to pull those forces south of that river,” Milley said, estimating Russia probably had 20,000 to 30,000 troops north of the Dnieper River.

‘A lot of human suffering’

The United States and its NATO allies have stopped short of direct intervention in Ukraine, but are arming, advising, and enabling its military to defend Kyiv against Russia’s invading armies.

Milley said the conflict so far had turned anywhere from 15 million to 30 million Ukrainians into refugees, and killed probably 40,000 Ukrainian civilians.

“You’re looking at well over 100,000 Russian soldiers killed and wounded. Same thing probably on the Ukrainian side. A lot of human suffering,” Milley said.

Despite the high casualty numbers, US officials say that Moscow has been unable to achieve its objectives in Ukraine and have raised questions about how long Russia will be able to sustain the war that has also decimated much of its mechanised ground forces and sapped artillery stockpiles.

US general’s remarks come as experts say potential winter lull in fighting could offer chance for negotiations

Russia-Ukraine war – latest news updates

A Ukrainian soldier takes a break near ammunition in Bakhmut, eastern Ukraine. Photograph: Bülent Kılıç/AFP/Getty

Samantha Lock and agencies

Thu 10 Nov 2022 20.44 AEDT

America’s top general has estimated that 100,000 Russian soldiers have been killed or wounded in Ukraine, and that Kyiv’s armed forces have “probably” suffered a similar level of casualties in the war.

Gen Mark Milley also suggested that as many as 40,000 Ukrainian civilians have been killed after being caught up in the conflict.

Kherson retreat shows Russian military has ‘real problems’, says Biden, as Zelenskiy urges caution

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The figures provided by Milley – which could not be independently confirmed – are the most precise to date from the US government more than eight months into the war. His remarks offer the highest US estimate of casualties in the nearly nine-month conflict to date, and came as Ukraine and Russia face a potential winter lull in fighting that experts say could offer an opportunity for some kind of negotiations.

“You are looking at well over 100,000 Russian soldiers killed and wounded,” Milley said in remarks at the Economic Club of New York. “Same thing probably on the Ukrainian side.”

Asked about prospects for diplomacy in Ukraine, Milley said the early refusal to negotiate in the first world war compounded human suffering and led to millions more casualties. “So when there is an opportunity to negotiate, when peace can be achieved: seize the moment,” Milley said.

Milley’s comments came after Russia ordered its troops to withdraw from the city of Kherson in southern Ukraine – a big blow to Moscow’s military campaign.

But officials in Kyiv reacted with caution, saying the Russian army was unlikely to leave the strategic city without a fight, while the US president, Joe Biden, suggested the retreat was evidence that Moscow has “real problems” on the battlefield.

The Nato secretary general, Jens Stoltenberg, said Russia’s retreat was “part of an overall pattern” demonstrating that Moscow had “absolutely lost the momentum”.

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“It’s part of an overall pattern or picture we have seen over the last month that Russia has absolutely lost the momentum,” he told Sky News during a visit to London. “But we should not underestimate Russia, they still have capabilities. We have seen the drones, we have seen the missile attacks. It shows that Russia can still inflict a lot of damage.”