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Volodymyr Zelensky: Russia using Ukraine as testing ground to attack others
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Russia is using Ukraine as a testing ground for possible further attacks against other European countries.
"Russia is testing in Ukraine everything that can be used against other European countries," Zelensky said in his video address late Wednesday (July 20). "It started with gas wars and ended with a full-scale invasion, with missile terror and burned Ukrainian cities."
Ukraine also needed to defeat Russia so that other countries would be safe, Zelensky said. "The faster this happens, the less damage and suffering all European families, all European countries will experience."
The Ukrainian leader also expressed his gratitude once again for the HIMARS multiple rocket launchers supplied by the US, some five months after the start of the war, the Anews reported, citing the DPA.
At the same time, he insisted on receiving air defence systems. There are already agreements with international partners, but in view of the Russian attacks, "a completely different speed and a completely different level of protection" is required, Zelensky said.
Separately, the United States estimates that Russian casualties in Ukraine so far have reached around 15,000 killed and perhaps 45,000 wounded.
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CIA Director William Burns has given the numbers on Wednesday (July 20), cautioning that Kyiv has endured significant casualties as well, Reuters reported.
Burns said at the Aspen Security Forum in Colorado: "The latest estimates from the U.S. intelligence community would be something in the vicinity of 15,000 (Russian forces) killed and maybe three times that wounded. So a quite significant set of losses.”
"And, the Ukrainians have suffered as well -- probably a little less than that. But, you know, significant casualties."
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