"Battle" between the United States and Russia over the number of Moscow soldiers killed or injured in the course of the conflict in Ukraine.

The clash was triggered by statements by US National Security Council spokesman John Kirby that Russia has had 20,000 dead and 80,000 wounded since December and that half of the dead are Wagner militiamen.

However, the Kremlin's reply was not long in coming. According to Vladimir Putin's spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, quoted by the Interfax agency, the numbers provided by the United States are "taken at random" , as "Washington has no way of providing correct figures, because it does not have such data".

Peskov also denied that Vatican mediations are underway to obtain a ceasefire. Or, at least, the Kremlin "is not aware" of a Vatican peace mission for Ukraine.

(Unioneonline/lf)

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