How Many Russian Soldiers Have Died In The Battle For The Syria City Of Palmyra?

A view shows the grave of Russian military contractor Vladimir Plutinsky, who was killed in Syria according to an official document, at a cemetery in the town of Kropotkin, Russia, April 13, 2017. Picture taken April 13, 2017. REUTERS/Maria Tsvetkova

Reuters: Russia denies media report it understated Syrian battle death toll

The Russian Defence Ministry on Wednesday dismissed as false a Reuters report which said Russia had understated the number of its servicemen and private contractors killed during a period of intense fighting to retake the city of Palmyra.

Reuters reported on Tuesday that the death toll over the period from late January until late March was 21, more than four times higher than the official toll given by the defense ministry of five servicemen killed.

Russian forces are backing Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in his war with rebels and militants seeking to oust him, and Reuters did its own calculation of the Palmyra death toll based on conversations with friends and relatives of the killed men, social media posts, and cemetery officials.

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WNU Editor: Russian social media are more in lined with what Reuters is reporting than what the Ministry of Defense is reporting.

More News On Conflicting Reports On The Number of Russian Soldiers Who Have Died In The Battle For The Syria City Of Palmyra

Russia rejects media reports on military casualties in Palmyra -- TASS
Russian MoD Denies Reuters Reports on Lowering Palmyra Offensive Death Toll -- Sputnik
Russia rejects media reports on military casualties in Palmyra -- RBTH