Category World News

As its forces advanced in the area nearly three years into the conflict, Russia asserted this week that it had taken control of the resource-rich town of Kurakhove in eastern Ukraine.

Even as Ukraine launched a new offensive in Russia’s Kursk, leaving residents shaken, Moscow’s forces have continued to make slow gains in eastern Ukraine. The morale of Ukrainian forces, who are forced to work together despite constant attacks from Russia, seems to be declining as a result of this attritional conflict.

Amazing new statistics now indicate a dramatic increase in the costs that the war has caused for both sides of Europe’s biggest conflict since World War II. According to experts, Russia seized territory in the Ukraine in 2024 that was twice as large as Mauritius. However, how many soldiers perished in the process?

In 2024, how much of Ukraine’s territory did Russia occupy?

Russian forces gained 4, 168 square kilometres (1, 609 square miles) of Ukrainian land in 2024, according to geolocated evidence collected by the Washington, DC-based Institute for the Study of War (ISW).

That’s twice the size of Mauritius, a nation in the Indian Ocean, and five times New York City’s size.

Apart from the land it regained from Ukraine in Kursk, Russia’s territorial gains in 2024 largely consist of fields and small settlements in Ukraine, according to the ISW.

Additionally, Russia gained Avdiivka, Selydove, Vuhledar, and Kurakhove, four mid-sized settlements, the ISW reported.

Russia lost how many soldiers, exactly? What Ukraine says

As of December 30, 2024, 427, 000 Russian soldiers died or were injured in the war in 2024, according to Ukraine’s Commander-in-Chief Colonel General Oleksandr Syrskii.

In a release published on January 2, Ukraine’s Defence Ministry placed Russia’s losses last year at 430, 790 soldiers.

Based on the more recent number, the Russian losses in 2024 amount to an average of 1, 180 per day, and about 103 losses per square kilometre gained.

The Russian losses increased toward the end of the year, according to Ukraine. The Defence Ministry said the highest losses came in November, with 45, 720 losses, and December, with 48, 670 losses. How many of these Russian soldiers were killed, how many were injured, and how many were taken off the battlefield as a result?

Russia lost how many soldiers, exactly? what others have to say

According to the independent Russian website Mediazona, at least 31, 481 Russian soldiers are confirmed to have died between January 1, 2024, and December 17, 2024.

Mediazona uses open-source research to compile the names of Russian soldiers killed, verifying the information through obituaries, posts by relatives, statements from local authorities and other public reports.

The Mediazona website says that the numbers for 2024 are “preliminary conclusions”, stating that: “2024 appears set to become the war’s deadliest year. While this can’t yet be proven conclusively, as casualty data emerges with considerable delay”.

These numbers cannot be independently verified by Al Jazeera.

“It seems likely that Russian deaths are in the 100, 000-plus]range]”, Timothy Ash, an associate fellow in the Russia and Eurasia programme at Chatham House, a London-based think tank, told Al Jazeera.

However, according to Ukrainian commander Syrskii, who spoke with French newspaper Le Monde in an interview from December 17 that appeared to be increasing indefinitely.

Commenting on Syrskii’s comments, Crisis Group senior analyst Oleg Ignatov asked: “How are Russian troop numbers in Ukraine growing if Moscow is suffering such devastating losses?”

“We don’t know whether]this is because] the Russian recruitment model is good, or there are not as many]Russian] casualties]as is claimed]”, he said.

Why are death tolls difficult to verify?

Because of their enormous propaganda value, in part, these figures contribute.

“Both sides are engaged in a war of narratives. Both sides use statistics to discredit one side while trying to prove their accomplishments on the ground. These narratives are part of the war”, Ignatov told Al Jazeera.

Since the start of the war in February 2022, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the president of Ukraine, announced in a Telegram post on December 8 that 43, 000 Ukrainian soldiers have perished on the battlefield. In February of this year, he last reported that 31, 000 Ukrainian soldiers had died. This would mean, 12, 000 Ukrainian soldiers died in the battlefield over about 10 months in 2024.

However, neither Russia nor Ukraine regularly release information on the number of soldiers killed during the conflict.

According to Marina Miron, a researcher at King’s College London’s Department of War Studies, they want to avoid disclosing how effective their military operations have been.

This tactic is common in wartime: in World War II, for example, each side exaggerated enemy casualties by two to three times while underreporting their own by half, according to Miron.

Additionally, there are other elements. The family is only informed of a soldier’s death when the body is discovered, and the relevant defence ministry then issues a death notification.

In October, Miron claimed that a government avoids having to pay the deceased’s families if it officially rejects a soldier’s death.

Is there a record number of deaths in Russia?

Experts are in agreement on the number of Russian soldiers killed in the conflict, and specifically in 2024, despite the fact that it was the largest casualty count since World War II. An estimated 8.7 million Soviet military personnel died during World War II, which is by far the highest total for any nation. Of the 15 Soviet republics, Russia lost the most soldiers – an estimated 6.7 million.

In the Soviet-Afghan war, which lasted 10 years, the Soviet army suffered about 15, 000 casualties. During the Vietnam War, which lasted 20 years, the US Army lost 58, 220 soldiers.

According to Ash, “Russian losses in Ukraine appear to be significantly greater than this.”

“Years from now on will be felt in Russian society.” Think about the impact that will have on the workforce in terms of human costs, followed by the cost of that in terms of healthcare and economic costs, he said. That, Ash added, “partly explains current tight labour markets in Russia and high wage-price inflation”.

“This war has only made the demographic mix worse for Russia,” he said.

What about the 2024 territorial gains? Were they significant?

According to experts, neither nation’s strategic importance is diminished by the territorial gains made by Russia or Ukraine.

Without the land Russia currently occupies, Ukraine can survive and prosper economically. However, security is crucial there. That’s why the terms of the peace are so important for Ukraine”, Ash said.

“For Russia, the land captured makes little positive impact economically or strategically”, he added.

In fact, Ash argued, the occupied Ukrainian territory “will be a huge burden to the Russian economy to fund reconstruction”.

He added that this occurs at a time when the Russian economy is hampered by sanctions for its resources.

Ignatov argued that neither side’s territorial expansion was essential to the conflict. Instead, “it’s a war of attrition – casualties, material, infrastructure is what matters”.

Neither side, he said, appears “interested in ceasefire so far”. Ignatov speculated that Moscow might have to deal with a challenge in 2025 as its manpower losses increase. &nbsp, “We don’t know how sustainable the Russian recruitment model is and we don’t know if Russia has to mobilise this year”, he said.

A flu-like viral disease has surged in China in recent months, particularly infecting children, raising concerns about its potential spread.

In response to the rise in respiratory illnesses during the winter, cases of human metapneumovirus (HMPV) have also been reported from India.

Five years after the Covid-19 pandemic erupted in China, the rise in the cases in early December has raised global health concerns. In recent days, Beijing and the World Health Organization (WHO) have made an effort to calm concerns.

What is known about the virus, which transmits like the flu and COVID-19, as well as other respiratory illnesses.

What is HMPV?

A respiratory virus known as the human metapneumovirus causes flu or symptoms similar to those of a cold.

The virus peaks during late winter and spring, according to the United States-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

First identified in 2001 in the Netherlands, the disease is very common, infecting almost every child by the age of five.

A swab from the nose or throat is used to test HMPV; it is done by prying it from the nose or throat. Similar to COVID, the sample is analysed in a lab, often with RT-PCR tests. Other methods, like antigen tests, can also identify the virus.

How is HMPV transmitted?

HMPV enters the body through the nose, mouth, or eyes, typically after inhaling droplets from an infected person coughing, sneezing, or breathing, or after touching contaminated surfaces.

These transmission methods are comparable to those used to spread the common cold, flu, and other respiratory viruses.

What alters the body does HMPV?

The respiratory tract, which includes the airways and the lungs, is made up of the epithelial cells that the virus enters once it enters the body.

As they clear mucus, dust, and other debris, these epithelial cells act as a protective barrier between the airways.

Once inside the cells, the virus replicates, producing more viral particles. These newly developed viruses infect neighboring cells and spread through the respiratory epithelium.

The body’s immune system recognizes the infection and starts a virus-fighting response. Although necessary to eradicate the virus, this reaction also causes coughing and nasal congestion.

Which nations have seen the most cases of HMPV rise?

In northern China, HMPV cases have been rising among children 14 years and younger, according to Kan Biao, director of China’s Institute for Infectious Diseases.

The increase coincides with the winter months when respiratory infections are more prevalent.

China’s National Disease Control and Prevention Administration announced that it is testing a monitoring system for pneumonia of unknown origin in response to the rising cases.

Since late 2024, HMPV has increased in countries like India and the UK.

India has reported seven confirmed cases of HMPV across several states, including Karnataka, Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Tamil Nadu.

The Indian government has advised states to increase the level of respiratory illness surveillance, as well as to keep up regular hygiene practices, such as washing hands frequently and avoiding close contact with others.

In the UK, between December 23 and 29 last year, some 4.5 percent of lab-tested samples were positive for HMPV, a slight increase from the previous week. In comparison, 29.5 percent were positive for influenza, and 2.5 percent for COVID-19.

Because the virus is not as robust or routine as the flu or COVID-19, precise global data on it is scarce.

Is it contagious or deadly? Who is more at risk?

HMPV is easily spreadable, but healthy people are not typically fatal, according to the WHO on Tuesday.

Because it is not a common name, HMPV was discovered in 2001, according to WHO spokeswoman Margaret Harris in Geneva.

HMPV is “a common virus that circulates in winter and spring”, she said, adding that its case mortality rate is “very, very low”.

Most people go through seven to ten days with only mild symptoms similar to the flu or common cold.

Due to the lack of accurate data and overlap with other respiratory illnesses, accurate mortality rates have been challenging to determine. However, in low-resource settings where access to healthcare is limited, HMPV-linked deaths have been relatively more common.

Additionally, within some people, the virus can lead to more severe respiratory complications, such as bronchitis, inflammation of the airways leading to the lungs, or pneumonia, infection of the lung tissue. This includes high-risk groups such as infants, older adults, and immunocompromised individuals.

Infants, for example, have smaller and more delicate airways, which can become easily inflamed or blocked during respiratory infections. Moreover, their immune systems and bodies are still developing, making it harder to fight the virus.

The immune system is also compromised as a result of aging, and underlying medical conditions make it more difficult to eradicate viruses.

What are the symptoms of HMPV infection?

Within three to six days of infection, these symptoms typically show up:

• Cough
• Fever
• Nasal congestion
• Wheezing
• Breathlessness
• Sore throat

More severe and prolonged symptoms may be felt by vulnerable groups.

How can HMPV infection be treated?

No vaccine or antiviral therapy specifically made for HMPV exists.

Instead, treatment focuses on managing symptoms, such as using fever medications, staying hydrated, and resting.

A lightning-hitting offensive against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on December 8 gave rise to a crisis-hit economy.

One month later, they are working to restart it, facing the damage 14 years of war left&nbsp, and crippling sanctions that have decimated economic activity.

The Syrian pound’s value has been devalued, and inflation has risen to triple digits. Unnamed official told the Reuters news agency last month that the Central Bank of Syria only had $200 million in foreign exchange reserves. At the end of 2010, it had $17bn.

The challenges

Having assumed control of Syria’s caretaker government, &nbsp, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) – itself still sanctioned as a “terrorist organisation” by the United States and others – faces a long list of challenges.

Peace and security are top priorities as well as funding, including the essentials (according to the World Food Programme, 13.1 million Syrians do not have enough food).

The al-Assad regime’s transition is expected to end the corrupt system that presided over Assad supporters with privileged access to government contracts and controlled important sectors.

The government even participated in the production of Captagon, a potent illegal amphetamine that is frequently used in the Gulf states, to raise money.

HTS says it wants to introduce a free-market system and has appointed a new Central Bank governor, Maysaa Sabrine, the first woman to take the role, as the institution’s governor.

Though details about modernisation efforts remain vague, Mohammed Abazeed, the caretaker finance minister, told Reuters the ministries would be restructured to improve efficiency and accountability. Along with outside investment, he said this would lead to a 400 percent public sector salary increase by February.

He added that the tax system would soon undergo a change. “By the end of this year, we expect]to have] a well-designed tax system that takes the interests of all taxpayers into account”, Abazeed said.

One of Syria’s busiest trading routes has been reopened by the transition government in an effort to lessen concerns about supply shortages. Additionally, they instructed the state-owned Syrian Petroleum Company to resume supplies and instructed shops and government ministries to remain open.

War and sanctions

Syria has one of the highest literacy rates in the region, which is high at 94 percent, and has a strategic position in the Mediterranean Sea.

“Before 2011, Syria’s economy was relatively well-diversified. It wasn’t performing brilliantly, but it was growing”, said Benjamin Feve, a researcher with the Triangle think tank in Lebanon. “It benefited from wheat, phosphate and fuel exports, a small manufacturing base, rising real estate prices and tourism receipts. But everything was destroyed by the war.

At least half a million people died as a result of a 2011 uprising against Bashar al-Assad, which was met with severe government violence. Millions more have been displaced as physical infrastructure, including roads and farmland, was razed.

Economic indicators nosedived: Syria’s gross domestic product (GDP) shrank by 54 percent between 2010 and 2021 – 90 percent of Syrians are now thought to live in poverty. The war’s fighting-ravaged neighborhoods have largely not been rebuilt, a sign of the destruction that the past 14 years have brought.

Meanwhile, al-Assad’s use of torture chambers and chemical weapons against his own people turned Syria into a pariah state. Damascus was denied access to the capital markets, Western aid, and commodity revenues by the US and the European Union in 2011 through crippling sanctions.

“There’s little doubt that sanctions hollowed out state institutions and reduced Syria’s economic resilience”, said Feve.

Omar Dahi, a Syrian economics professor at Hampshire College in Massachusetts, said the impact of economic sanctions has been overlooked. “In addition to war-related costs, sanctions drained business activity and shrunk the government’s tax base”, said Dahi.

From 2011 to 2021, he estimated that Syria’s tax revenue to GDP ratio fell from 11 to 5 percent, or just $4.5bn, in 2021. That is one of the world’s lowest tax shares, claims Dahi.

For years, Russia and Iran propped up the al-Assad regime, helping it bypass Western sanctions. By expanding their credit lines, Moscow and Tehran made it possible for Syria to import fuel and food.

In exchange, al-Assad gave up some of Syria’s key resources, like phosphate deposits. Additionally, he acquired an unrequited sum of money from his foreign supporters. Dahi, however, does not expect that anytime soon.

Resuscitating the economy

With economic recovery in focus, Dahi said it would be “sensible” for HTS to focus on “domestic activities like food and housing… reviving indigenous drivers of growth, particularly agriculture, would provide some security. The government could then try to promote “basic industries like textiles.”

Still, considering the small size of Syria’s economy, Dahi warned that “long-term growth and development won’t be possible without access to foreign capital and technology”.

Ahmed al-Shara, commander-in-chief of Syria’s new administration, says he hopes US President-elect Donald Trump will lift sanctions. In a sign that the US is willing to engage with Syria’s new leadership, Washington removed a $10m bounty for al-Shara on December 20.

As long as the new government offers political stability and reduces ties with Russia and Iran, US officials have also started discussions with Qatar and the United Arab Emirates about easing financial restrictions on Damascus.

Al-Sharaa has also stated that the first elections in Syria will take up to four years, which could mean a longer period of power transfer.

Before the war, Syria exported natural resources, particularly oil, to capitalize on its strategic position, which spanned Asia and Europe.

According to Syria’s Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, losses in the oil sector amounted to $91.5bn between 2011 and 2021.

Years of civil conflict left the country’s energy infrastructure “well below operating capacity”, and corresponding losses to public finances were “significant”, according to Robert Perkins, an energy analyst at S&amp, P Global.

In the northeast, he also made it clear that the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) are primarily in charge of Syria’s oil and gas fields.

The transfer of these resources back to Damascus will be crucial to funding reconstruction efforts, which are thought to be between $250 billion and $400 billion, given the sector’s potential size.

A significant role might be played by Turkiye.

With risk-averse investors unlikely to rush back into Syria, Ankara has indicated it will fill the gap –&nbsp, Turkish businesses have operated in opposition-controlled territory for years, particularly in construction.

Turkish Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar stated last week that his country wanted to conduct studies into how Syria’s natural gas and oil resources could be used for development and reconstruction ahead of a trip to Damascus.

Turkey’s long-standing opposition to the presence of the SDF along its border is represented by Turkish forces, which it believes is closely linked to the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), a group that has waged a decades-long civil war against the Turkish state and is viewed by Ankara and Washington as a “terrorist” group.

Therefore, Turkiye’s efforts are likely to result in Syria’s new government reclaiming its oil reserves from the SDF. “Clearly, Syria’s energy sector would benefit from large-scale investment in export pipelines and port facilities”, Perkins said of Turkiye’s funding proposals.

He wonders, though, whether Türkiye investment alone will spur near-term growth.