“More than 2,000 Ukrainians died, not counting our defenders,” Ukraine's emergency service said in a statement, adding that “children, women and Ukrainian defence forces are losing their lives every hour.”

The Ukrainian emergency service said some transport infrastructures, houses, hospitals and kindergartens have been “destroyed” by Russian forces and its shelling as well as bombardments over the last seven days.

Image: UNI

Meanwhile, the United Nations’ reported civilian death toll is far lower than the casualty figure claimed by Ukraine, although the UN has said the actual toll is likely to be “much higher” than its reported figure.

On Tuesday, the United Nations High Commission for Human Rights said at least 136 civilians have lost their lives in Ukraine during the Russian invasion while more than 400 others have been injured in the attack by Russian forces.

"Most of these casualties were caused by the use of explosive weapons with a wide impact area, including shelling from heavy artillery and multiple launch rocket systems, and air strikes,” according to a statement released by the UN office on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Russian Ministry of Defence spokesperson Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov said, during a briefing carried on state television on Wednesday, that 498 Russian military personnel have been killed since Moscow began the invasion of Ukraine and 1,597 have been wounded.

Image: UNI

Acknowledged casualties on their side, Ukrainian officials have estimated Russian casualties to be much higher than Moscow's claim.

The United Nations said more than 800,000 civilians have fled Ukraine since the Russian invasion began, while the European Union (EU) estimates that up to four million people may try to leave war-torn Ukraine.

According to reports, refugees from Ukraine are crossing the borders to neighbouring countries to the west, such as Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Hungary and Moldova.

Image: UNI

The UN said on Tuesday that more than 830,000 people had entered these countries from Ukraine.

According to reports, the second round of talks between the officials of Russia and Ukraine is scheduled to be held on the Polish-Belarusian border on Thursday, days after the first meeting of negotiations yielded no resolution.

Site of the Ukraine-Russia talks on Belarus border. Image: UNI

Sources said the Ukrainian delegation has already departed from Kyiv and is en route to the site of the talks on the Brest region of Belarus, which borders Poland.