Over 2,500 Ukrainian servicemen killed since beginning of Donbas hostilities
More than 2,500 Ukrainian army servicemen have been killed in the hostilities since the beginning of the anti-terrorist operation in Donbas, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said.
"A total of 2,533 servicemen have been killed defending Ukraine from the Russian aggressor," the president said during celebrations of Defender of Ukraine Day in the center of Kyiv on Friday morning.
Approximately 280,000 Ukrainians have participated in the operation over the past two and a half years, and 266,000 of them have been recognized as combatants, he said.
More than 10,000 Ukrainian servicemen have been decorated with state awards, including 33 servicemen awarded the title of Hero of Ukraine, Poroshenko said.
This year alone over 57,000 Ukrainian volunteers joined the army on contract, and about 10,000 women are serving in combat units of the Ukrainian army, he said. Discharged servicemen have been assigned to the immediate reserve forces, which currently comprise almost 100,000 servicemen, he said.
