Authorities reported that the number of Russian soldiers killed in the Russia-Ukraine war exceeded 130,000, as trench fighting reminiscent of World War I continues to rage.

In recent weeks, the Russian troops' death toll in and around Bakhmut in Ukraine's eastern Donetsk area has soared, as a result of trench warfare, close-quarter combat, and intensive use of artillery, according to US authorities, as reported by The Daily Mail.

On February 24, the conflict will reach one year, and Russian losses are rising rapidly. Ukraine news indicated on the 346th day of the conflict, and the Ukrainian Defense Ministry reported that 720 Russian servicemen had been killed the day before, bringing the overall number of Russian military fatalities to 130,599. Since Saturday, over 5,000 Russians have died, and over 10,500 in the last 14 days, as per a report from Miami Herald.

Ukraine news show averages suggest that by the end of this month, the number of Russian casualties might have reached 140,000. Russia lost three tanks, 11 additional artillery units, four drones, and 13 additional vehicle and gasoline tanks on Saturday.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Saturday that the fighting in the country's east was becoming more intense and that Russia was sending additional forces into the fray amid the Russia-Ukraine war.

War Gets 'Tougher'

After many months of defeats, the Kremlin has been striving for a decisive triumph on the battlefield. Russian soldiers are vying for control of the neighboring key supply line for Ukrainian forces as well as the town of Bakhmut.

Russian forces are also seeking to take Vuhledar, a coal mining city 120 kilometers (75 miles) southwest of Bakhmut in eastern Donetsk.

In his nightly video message, Zelensky remarked that the "situation at the front is tough and is getting tougher, and it's that time again." He also noted that Russia is deploying "more and more" troops to break down Ukraine's defenses, per Reuters.

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Defense Deputy Minister Hanna Malyar reported previously that Russian attacks on Bakhmut and Lyman had been unsuccessful.

Volodymyr Zelensky declared that Ukraine will strive to save the "fortress" city of Bakhmut in the east and asked the West to provide long-range weaponry to assist Kyiv to drive Russian soldiers away from the Donbas area.

Zelensky: Ukraine Will Never Give Up

After a session with EU officials in Kyiv, the Ukrainian president remarked at a press conference, "Nobody will give away Bakhmut." He vowed to continue fighting as long as they could.

"Ukraine would be able to hold Bakhmut and liberate occupied Donbas if it received long-range weapons," Volodymyr Zelensky said.

Ukrainian opposition to the Russian invasion has centered on the city of Bakhmut, while Moscow has been trying to retake ground in the struggle for the city per Ukraine news reports.

Earlier reports suggested that the US was nearing the completion of a deal to send around 30 Abrams tanks to Ukraine.

The Biden administration has started to process the Abrams tanks, but it is not clear when they will reach Ukraine, per HNGN.

According to one of our sources, the United States plans to send several recovery trucks to the battlefield to either assist fix US tanks there or to transport them there for maintenance and repairs amid the Russia Ukraine war.

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