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Russian Ministry Removes Video From Airborne Commander That Cited War Casualties


Colonel General Mikhail Teplinsky
Colonel General Mikhail Teplinsky

The Russian Defense Ministry’s website has removed a greeting by the commander of the Russian Airborne Forces, Colonel General Mikhail Teplinsky, in which he mentioned casualties among his troops in Ukraine. Teplinsky's video congratulating paratroopers on the Day of Airborne Forces, commemorated on August 2, was removed shortly after it was published. In his speech, Teplinsky said 8,500 Russian paratroopers had been wounded in the Ukraine war, the highest number of casualties among a single type of military force mentioned to date by a Russian military official. To read the original story by RFE/RL's Russian Service, click here.

RFE/RL has been declared an "undesirable organization" by the Russian government.

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