About 9,000 heroes have been killed in action defending Ukraine, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Valerii Zaluzhnyi said at the veterans' forum, Report informs, citing Ukrinform.
"Not only military personnel and not only those who took up arms participate in the war. Our little children, who are not guilty of anything at all, except that they were born right here and right at this time, they really do not understand anything what is happening, but they definitely need protection, for example, near Soledar, near Bakhmut, near Velyka Novosilka, as well as here because their father went to the front, perhaps he is among those almost 9,000 heroes who died," said Zaluzhnyi.
According to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, 45,500 servicemen of the Russian army have been killed since the start of the war.