Russian Tabloid Screws Putin With Report on Dead Soldiers in Ukraine

An article published on a Russian tabloid website claimed that nearly 10,000 Russian troops have been killed in Ukraine since Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered a new invasion of the country in February. The article, published briefly on Komsomolskaya Pravda, claimed that Russia’s Ministry of Defense disputed Ukrainian military estimates that almost 15,000 Russian troops had died as a result of the military operation and instead estimated 9,861 killed and 16,153 were wounded—far larger than the 498 dead Russia has admitted to thus far. Shortly after the article was published, it was removed without explanation and republished with the casualty figures missing.