100,000 Ukrainian Soldiers Killed in War, Including ‘Most Experienced’ Forces – Politico

American officials estimate that at least 100,000 Ukrainian soldiers have been killed in the year since Russia invaded. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin painted a grim picture for Kiev, warning “Ukraine doesn’t have any time to waste.”

Politico spoke with unnamed American officials who gave the estimated death toll. “Upwards of 100,000 Ukrainian forces have died in the year-long war.” The outlet reported that this estimated death toll  “[includes] the most experienced soldiers.” The officials are “increasingly concerned about Ukraine’s dwindling supply of ammunition, air defenses and experienced soldiers.”

Speaking to the Ukrainian Defense Contact Group on Wednesday, Austin warned “Ukraine doesn’t have any time to waste” and called on member nations to ensure “that Ukrainian soldiers get the training, spare parts and maintenance support that they need.”

The Washington Post recently said that the losses to Kiev’s forces were changing the Ukrainian military. “An influx of inexperienced draftees, brought in to plug the losses, has changed the profile of the Ukrainian force.” The article continued, “[the force] is also suffering from basic shortages of ammunition, including artillery shells and mortar bombs, according to military personnel in the field.”

According to Politico, Ukraine has sustained “massive” casualties in Bakhmut. The Kyiv Independent reported, the soldiers arriving in Bakhmut are “unprepared, poorly-trained battalions being thrown into the front line meat grinder to survive as best they could with little support.”

Austin believes Bakhmut is a “symbolic” not “strategic” battle for Kiev. However, Ukrainian officials disagree. Kiev believes Bakhmut is key to holding the entire front line. Recently, American officials have expressed concerns that Ukraine is losing too many troops and weapons defending the city.

The New York Times reported on Thursday that Ukraine is using thousands of artillery shells each day in Bakhmut. Western officials do not believe this rate of fire is sustainable. Currently, the US produces 14,000 155mm artillery rounds per month and the White House has already sent over a million such shells to Ukraine during the past year.

Considering previous statements made by Pentagon officials as well as officials in Europe, this latest estimate on Ukraine’s losses may be on the low end. For example, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley more than five months ago claimed 100,000 Ukrainian forces had been killed along with tens of thousands of civilians.

In January, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and the head of the armed forces of Norway both made similar claims. Concurrently, German intelligence assessed that a “three-digit number” of Ukrainian soldiers were being killed daily during the ongoing fight for the eastern Donetsk city of Bakhmut.

Last month, a former American Marine fighting for the city alongside Ukrainian forces told ABC News that soldiers on the front line have an average life span of “four hours,” adding Russia’s “[artillery] is nonstop… All day and night.”