Kiev, Nov 30 (IANS): Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky believes that Russia will lose at least 100,000 servicemen by the end of this year as Moscow's continues its invasion against Kiev.

"By the end of this year, Russia will lose 100,000 of its soldiers and God only knows how many mercenaries," Ukrayinska Pravda quoted the President as saying in his nightly video address to the nation on Wednesday.

Zelensky also said that situation at the front remains difficult.

"Despite extremely big Russian losses, the occupiers are still trying to advance in the Donetsk region, gain a foothold in the Luhansk region, move in the Kharkiv region, they are planning something in the south," he said.

"But we are holding out and, most importantly, do not allow the enemy to fulfil their intentions. They said they would capture the Donetsk region in spring, summer, autumn. Winter begins this week already.

"They wasted their regular army there, they lose hundreds of mobilised and mercenaries there every day, they use barrier troops there," the President added.

Earlier on Tuesday, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine said that since the start of the invasion on February 24, the Russian army has lost about 88,380 soldiers.