Two people were killed on Friday in a Russian attack on the city of Kurakhove, located in the eastern Donetsk region, which is bearing the brunt of the fighting between Kyiv and Moscow.
鈥榁arious high-rise buildings were damaged. Two people were injured, two people died,鈥� the head of the military administration Roman Padun said on social media.
Kurakhove is near the front lines in eastern Ukraine, 40 kilometres west of the Russia-occupied main city of Donetsk.
Outgunned and outmanned Ukrainian troops in the wider region are struggling against Russian forces who are pushing toward the key town of Chasiv Yar.聽
Ukrainian officials have said Russian forces aimed to seize the hilltop town before May 9, when Russia marks victory over Nazi Germany of World War II, to give president Vladimir Putin a symbolic win.
In an interview with Britain鈥檚 The Times, Ukraine鈥檚 Ground Forces Commander Oleksandr Pavliuk described a dire situation around the key city.聽
鈥榃e are trying everything we can do to stop the Russian plan to capture Chasiv Yar before May 9,鈥� Pavliuk was quoted as saying.
鈥楤ut Russians have a 10-to-one ratio of artillery superiority there, and total air superiority,鈥� he said.
Ukrainian forces have been suffering from ammunition shortages, partly due to months-long delays in US aid, which were approved by president Joe Biden last week after Congress finally passed the measure.
Meanwhile, France estimates that 1,50,000 Russian soldiers have been killed during Moscow鈥檚 invasion of Ukraine, foreign minister Stephane Sejourne said in an interview published on Friday.
Speaking to Russian independent newspaper Novaya Gazeta Europe, Sejourne said Paris estimated total Russian casualties, including wounded, at 5,00,000 in the war, now in its third year.
鈥楨urope and its partners will remain united and determined, for as long as necessary. Russia鈥檚 military failure is already apparent. We estimate Russian military losses at 5,00,000, including 1,50,000 deaths,鈥� he said.
鈥楢ll of this for what?鈥� he asked. 鈥楾his can be summed up in two words: for nothing,鈥� he said.
Russia has not disclosed information on its casualties.
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said in February that 1,80,000 Russian troops had been killed in the war.
Britain estimates that approximately 4,50,000 Russians have been killed or wounded in Ukraine.
The BBC reported in April that more than 50,000 Russian military personnel have died, citing its own reporters, independent media group Mediazona and volunteers.
