CLAIM: Trump says millions dying in Ukraine
Fact Check: False
Trump claimed that “millions” of people are dying in Ukraine and that the deaths were being underreported, blaming the Biden-Harris administration for them. The war in Ukraine is extraordinarily bloody but no estimates suggest casualties anywhere close to “millions”. The U.S. and other western countries estimate the Russia has lost between more than 300,000-500,000 troops killed and wounded since the 2022 invasion.
Some estimates are even higher. The Economist in July estimated between 462,000 and 728,000 Russia soldiers could have been out of action by mid-June this year.
Ukrainian losses are estimated to be significantly lower but nonetheless in the tens of thousands. Ukraine’s government has claimed it has lost around 30,000 men, but Western governments and independent groups assess killed and wounded could well over 100,000. Thousands of Ukrainian civilians have also been killed. The U.N. has confirmed that more than 11,500 Ukrainian civilians have been killed since February 2022, but the U.N. and most experts believe the real number is significantly higher. Many civilians have been killed in occupied areas where reporting is prevented by Russia.
Millions of Ukrainians have been displaced by the war. The U.N. estimated 14.6 million Ukrainians were forced from their homes, with more than 6.5 million have fled the country since 2022.