Putin 'Could Never Have Imagined' Russia's Losses In Ukraine War, But Nation 'Will Not Disappear'

Russian President Vladimir Putin likely never imagined Moscow's army to suffer massive losses in its invasion of Ukraine, an EU official suggested.

In an interview with Radio Liberty published Thursday, Josep Borrell, the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, made the remark after being asked whether he believes Russia will be able to maintain its war against Ukraine.

"I am not a seer. But sanctions, of course, will weaken Russia's economy. They suffered many losses. Many soldiers died. But they also suffered material losses: more than 1,600 tanks were destroyed. This is something that Putin could never have imagined," Borrell said.

"Well, they've already started the offensive. They will try to break the resistance of Ukrainians. That is why we must continue to support them and keep the door open to any peace process that anyone can initiate," he added.

Despite the many losses, Borrell says Russia "will not disappear" if it loses the war. This contradicts a statement by the deputy head of the Russian Security Council and former Russian prime minister Dmitry Medvedev on Wednesday where he suggested Moscow would likely be "torn apart" if it fails to achieve victory in the war.

"Well, Russia will not disappear. Russia is a great nation. We have nothing against the Russians. They are also suffering from this war. They suffer. They lose their lives. And they lose economic opportunities. They lose their welfare. And Russia will remain after the end of the war," Borrell argued.

Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine a year ago, on Feb. 24, 2022. Since then, Moscow's forces have lost 145,850 military personnel, per estimates from the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine. The figures also include 790 soldiers who were killed over the past day.

Besides military deaths, Russian forces have also reportedly lost 3,350 tanks, 6,593 armored combat machines, 2,352 artillery systems, 2,029 UAVs and 5,215 vehicles and fuel tanks.

It is unclear how many soldiers Ukraine has lost in the war. However, civilian casualties from the start of the war until Feb. 15, 2023, have reached 21,293. The numbers include 8,006 deaths and 13,287 injuries, as recorded by the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).