by Eric Yue
As tensions between Ukraine and Russia escalate, the death toll continues to rise. Earlier this week, Ukrainian officials said that more than 12,000 Russian soldiers and 2,870 Ukrainian soldiers have died, and thousands more have been injured. However, it’s difficult to get an accurate death count because of factors such as government propaganda and misinformation on both sides of the conflict.
The UN estimates that as many as 549 civilians have died and 957 injured as of March 10, 2022, but the Ukrainian government claims that the number is much higher, due to possible undercounts.
Despite civilian deaths, Putin has repeatedly insisted that missiles and bombs are not and will not be aimed towards civilian neighborhoods and areas. On March 9, 2022, Russian missiles hit a maternity building in Mariupol, leaving two mothers and a child dead and dozens more injured.
Similar scenes of Russian military aggression are across the country. Just a week ago, a horrifying viral video showed a family being shot at while evaluating, killing a mother and her 18-year-old son and 9-year-old daughter. Over the weekend, Russia launched an airstrike on a Ukrainian military base just 15 miles from the Polish border. Local officials stated that at least 35 people died from the incident, and more than 100 Ukrainians were injured.
In addition to the continual conflicts, the deputy foreign minister of Russia publicly stated that Russia will consider all military supply shipments from NATO allies and the UK as “legitimate targets” for Russia's missiles and troops, further escalating tensions between NATO Russia.
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