Donetsk, Mar 9 – DAN. Since the beginning of the liberation operation in the DPR, the losses of the armed formations of Ukraine have amounted to more than 1,500 killed and wounded,  the DPR Defence's deputy chief of staff Eduard Basurin said.

Ukrainian losses are 735 killed and 797 wounded.

According to Basurin, since the beginning of the special military operation, 115 Ukrainian soldiers have surrendered to the forces of the DPR, 12 of them are in medical institutions, they are being provided with qualified aid.

 Russia started a special military operation to denazify and demilitarize Ukraine on February 24. Russian President Vladimir Putin said that the decision was made after the DPR and LPR Heads addressed him asking for help.
The Russian leader said that Moscow is not planning to occupy Ukrainian territory, the only goal is to protect people who have been continuously shelled and subjected to other forms of genocide by Ukraine for eight years. *ot