First Time Ukraine's Military Chief Reveals The Number Of Soldiers Killed Since The Russian Invasion

JAKARTA - The number of Ukrainian military personnel killed in the war with Russia has almost reached 9,000, the head of the country's armed forces said.

The toll given by General Valeriy Zaluzhnyi is the first given by a top Ukrainian military official since the Russian invasion on 24 February.

General Zaluzhnyi, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, said at a conference held to honor military veterans and the families of those who died, children need protection in several parts of the country including the capital Kyiv.

"They really don't understand what is going on and definitely need protection. Because their father has gone to the front lines and was probably among the nearly 9,000 heroes killed," he said.

General Zaluzhnyi gave no details and did not say whether the figures he gave included all military personnel killed in action, such as border guards.

It is known, President Volodymr Zelenkskiy said at the conference, about 1 million people defend Ukraine as part of the Ukrainian armed forces or other services.

General Zaluzhnyi did not say how many civilians were killed or how many Russian personnel Kyiv estimates were killed in the fighting, but the General Staff of the Ukrainian armed forces put the Russian military death toll at 45,400. Russia has not said how many of its soldiers were killed.

Reuters was unable to verify the losses suffered by both sides during what Russia said was a "special military operation" to demilitarize Ukraine.