The White House estimated the losses of PMC Wagner in Ukraine at 30,000 people

Since the beginning of the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, more than 30,000 mercenaries of PMC Wagner have died or been wounded. This was reported on Friday by the official representative of the US National Security Council, John Kirby.

In total, according to the estimates of the White House, 9,000 mercenaries have died, and about half of them have died since the middle of December last year. According to Kirby, about 90 percent of those killed in December were mercenaries recruited in Russian colonies.

“They treat their recruits, mostly convicts, as cannon fodder, literally throwing them into a meat grinder without thinking twice,” Kirby said.

Earlier, the Russian service of the BBC reported that in two weeks of February, the number of Russians killed in the war in Ukraine increased fivefold compared to the previous month. By February 17, 2023, journalists managed to confirm the death of 14,709 people. The main share of losses falls on volunteers, mercenaries of “PMC Wagner” (including prisoners) and mobilized.

• “PMC Wagner” is an unofficial Russian military unit that does not belong to the Ministry of Defense of Russia or other state structures. Fighters of PMC Wagner participate in ground operations in Syria, Africa and in the war with Ukraine. Mercenaries are suspected of committing numerous war crimes.