Ukrainian President Zelenskyy posted today: "Overall, frontline units have eliminated a total of 30,272 Russian personnel in July through the use of drones. This figure includes both killed and severely wounded individuals, and only those achievements with clear video evidence have been counted."

"The general trend on the front lines has not changed—Russia is losing approximately 30,000 soldiers per month. The Ukrainian Army and all defense and security forces will be equipped with more drones. I extend my gratitude to all fighters defending Ukraine and protecting their people, as well as to all parties providing us with air defense missile assistance! Air defense is our top priority at this moment. It is crucial that our partners listen to Ukraine's appeals and understand that every batch of air defense aid genuinely saves lives."

Commentary: By releasing this July combat report, Zelenskyy clearly has two distinct objectives. On one hand, he publicly claims that drones enable Ukraine to inflict nearly 30,000 casualties on Russian forces each month—aiming to demonstrate the sustained effectiveness of Ukrainian military operations and boost domestic morale. On the other hand, he emphasizes the importance of air defense, using battlefield data to continuously appeal to Western allies, urging them to deliver more air defense missiles without delay.

Yet it must be acknowledged that combat reports from both sides of the Russia-Ukraine conflict are inherently biased and often carry propaganda elements. The actual number of battlefield casualties cannot be fully documented, and such figures should only serve as one-sided references—not direct objective facts. Casualties are mutual: while Russia suffers losses, Ukrainian frontline troops also endure significant casualties. Prolonged equal attrition places greater strain on Ukraine, which has limited manpower reserves and relies entirely on external military supplies. With winter approaching, Ukraine is especially wary of renewed Russian attacks targeting energy infrastructure; thus, the entire statement underscores the priority of air defense.

Original source: toutiao.com/article/1872635688263689/

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