VLADIMIR Putin's military has been "freaking decimated" by Ukraine since Russia launched its full-scale invasion, says US President Joe Biden.
Russia has lost nearly 4,000 troops in the past three days alone, after Western nations lifted restrictions on Ukraine's use of their weapons.
New figures released by Ukraine's defence ministry on Wednesday claimed a total of 513,700 Russian troops had been "eliminated" in the two years since Putin launched his full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
They stated 1,280 troops had died in the past 24 hours, after 1,290 died yesterday and 1,270 died on Sunday.
The past three days have been Russia's deadliest in the entire war.
When asked about a Russian proposal to end the war in Ukraine, and whether the end of war was the best outcome Ukraine could hope for, US President Biden said: "No, it's not."
He told Time Magazine: "The Russian military has been decimated.
"You don't write about that. It's been freaking decimated."
He added: "Peace looks like making sure Russia never, never, never, never occupies Ukraine. That's what peace looks like."
The president's comments came as he gave Ukraine the green light to strike inside Russia with US-supplied weapons.
On Sunday, US-made Himars missiles were said by Russian sources to have been used in strikes on Russian troops in Belgorod.
Dramatic video appeared to show the missiles blasting key military targets inside Russia for the first time.
Ukraine had previously been banned from using Western-supplied weapons to strike beyond its borders as some leaders feared such strikes would anger Putin and lead him to escalate the brutal conflict.
The US was among some Nato countries to soften their positions in the wake of Russia's offensive in Kharkiv, where Putin's troops were said to be terrorising civilians and soldiers on three key frontiers.
Russia is now turning away from its 27-day offensive in the Kharkiv region, according to Ukraine's president Volodymyr Zelensky.
The Ukrainian president said the main effort of Putin's forces had returned to their assault on Ukrainian-held parts of the Donetsk region.
He wrote on X: "I am grateful to every unit, commander, and soldier who helped stabilise the Kharkiv direction.
"We make every effort, step by step, to ensure that Russia sees that we have the ability to respond to its every attempt to expand the war and increase pressure on Ukraine.
"And we continue to work with our partners to provide more capabilities and a longer range."
Russia overran some 12 villages when it launched its air and ground incursion into Kharkiv on May 10, but failed to seize the border town of Vovchansk - despite attacking it from three sides.
The UK Ministry of Defence said the Avdiivka-Pokrovsk sector north and west of Donetsk city "has remained the probable main effort of Russian forces over the last 72 hours".
