Ukraine says damage so far from war with Russia tops $100B

Russian forces have so far destroyed $100 billion worth of buildings, infrastructure and other physical assets in Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's economic adviser said Thursday.

Oleg Ustenko said in a statement that the war has also caused 50% of Ukrainian businesses to shut down completely.

Noting that the remaining businesses are continuing their activities with difficulty, Ustenko said the $100 billion in losses accounts for half of the country's gross domestic product (GDP).

He said Russian assets frozen in foreign banks, including reserves of Russia's central bank, should be given for the reconstruction of Ukraine.

At least 549 civilians have been killed and 957 others injured in Ukraine since the beginning of the war, according to UN figures. But the international body has maintained that conditions on the ground have made it "difficult to verify" the true number of civilian casualties.

More than 2.3 million people have also fled to neighboring countries, said the UN refugee agency.