Ukraine Claims Russia Suffered 'Colossal Losses' In Donbas Region

Ukraine admitted on Friday it was taking heavy losses in Russia's assault in the east, but said Russia's losses were even worse, as US President Joe Biden called on Congress to send as much as $33 billion to help Kyiv withstand the attack, Natalia Zinets reported for the Associated Press (AP).

Photo Insert: Ukrainian snipers have been a constant nuisance for the Russians.

The body of a journalist from broadcaster Vira Hyrych of the Prague-based Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) had been found on Friday morning after Thursday's missile attack destroyed the bottom two floors of a residential building. It said Hyrych had worked for Radio Liberty since 2018.

Ukraine has repelled nine Russian attacks in Donbas on April 28. The Joint Force Operations command said Ukraine destroyed various equipment and vehicles in Donbas on April 28. Russian losses include six tanks, one artillery system, 12 armored vehicles, one car and one anti-aircraft gun.

Ukraine's Air Force said 15 aerial targets were shot down on April 28. Yuriy Ignat, spokesman for the Ukrainian Air Force, said Russia’s air force suffered heavy losses on April 28, losing an aircraft, five cruise missiles, and nine UAVs.

The Russian military is facing the same logistics issues in eastern Ukraine as they did when attempting to capture Kyiv, a senior defense official said. “Just from logistics alone, they’re only able to sustain several-kilometers-or-so progress on any given day.”

He added that Ukrainian troops are making gains in some areas while Russian forces make gains in others. There have been “more than 1,900 missile launches” since the beginning of the invasion, according to the official. Most of the strikes having been recorded in Mariupol and Donetsk Oblast.

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