Russian Soldier Admits Defeat In Mykolaiv, 70% Of Some Units Are Dead: Report

Some Russian units operating in Ukraine have lost as much as 70% of their personnel, according to supposed intercepted telephone conversations obtained by Ukrainian authorities.

"Our regiment has the biggest losses. We are almost gone. There were a few thousand of us. [Now], there are about four hundred left," a person understood to be a Russian soldier said in a video released by Ukraine's Security Service (SBU) titled "Ukrainian defenders destroy occupiers near Mykolaiv."

Russian forces "no longer believe in their victory" and are now attempting to flee from Ukrainian soldiers, the unnamed soldier told his wife.

Additionally, Russian soldiers are no longer thinking about capturing Ukraine and instead are planning to return home to terminate their contracts, according to the SBU.

"I will not come here for the second time," the soldier said.

"For our part, we advise him and the other occupiers 'not to come here' really," the SBU said in a statement.

Around 20,600 Russian personnel have been lost between the start of the invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24 and Monday, Ukraine's Ministry of Defence said in its most recent casualties report.

Russian losses also included 790 tanks, 2,041 armored fighting vehicles, 167 aircraft and 147 helicopters, among other pieces of military equipment, according to the ministry.

Russia's last official tally from March 25 claimed it had lost 1,351 men in the conflict, while another 3,285 were wounded.

The real number of Russian casualties could be as high as 40,000 personnel, officials from the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) estimated.

"Yes, we have significant losses of troops and it is a huge tragedy for us," Dmitry Peskov, spokesman of Russian President Vladimir Putin, previously said.

Russia withdrew its forces near the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv as an "act of goodwill" to "lift tensions" during peace negotiations, according to Peskov.

However, Russia launched a new offensive along Ukraine's eastern flank Monday, with the Russians' main military force concentrating on taking complete control of the partially occupied Donetsk and Luhansk regions in the Donbas, a report by Reuters said.

"We can now say that Russian forces have started the battle of the Donbas, for which they have long prepared," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in a video address.

The offensive is the start of the second phase of Russia's invasion, Andriy Yermak, Zelensky's chief of staff, claimed.

Experts warned that a depleted Russian army struggling with morale problems, Ukrainian counterattacks and supply issues may fail to achieve its goals, according to The Moscow Times.