ANKARA

Russia has suffered more than 100,000 killed and wounded soldiers as a result of the war in Ukraine, the top US general said Wednesday.

Speaking at an event at The Economic Club of New York, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Alexander Milley discussed geopolitical tensions and what is on the horizon.

"You’re looking at well over 100,000 Russian soldiers killed and wounded," CNN quoted Milley as saying. "Same thing probably on the Ukrainian side,” he added.

Noting that Russia's full withdrawal with 20,000 to 30,000 soldiers in the Kherson region may take a few weeks, he said the Russians can use the withdrawal to prepare their troops for a spring attack.

He said the Russian side did this to protect their forces, to re-establish their defensive lines south of the Dnieper River.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has lost a tremendous amount of military capability, and they have suffered a tremendous amount of military loss, the Economic Club of New York said on Twitter.

“When there’s an opportunity to negotiate when peace can be achieved, seize it. Seize the moment,” it quoted Milley.

Russia’s defense minister on Wednesday ordered the withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukraine’s southern port city of Kherson to the eastern bank of the Dnieper River.

Sergey Shoygu stressed that the decision for the retreat was made to save the lives of Russian soldiers.