Fact check: Analyse this and determine how correct it is;https://www.google.com/amp/s/news.rambler.ru/troops/40166398-skolko-na-samom-dele-pogiblo-sovetskih-voennyh-v-afganistane/amp/

1. Summary of the results

The Soviet-Afghan War was a significant Cold War proxy conflict that lasted from December 1979 to February 1989 ^[1]. Multiple sources consistently confirm approximately 15,000 Soviet military casualties ^{[2] [3]}. The conflict resulted in devastating civilian casualties, with estimates ranging between 1-3 million Afghan deaths ^[1], and approximately 2 million civilian casualties specifically noted by some sources ^[3].

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

The original article's URL suggests a focus on Soviet military casualties, but this presents an incomplete picture of the conflict. Several crucial contextual elements are missing:

• The war was a complex Cold War proxy conflict involving multiple international actors, including the United States and Pakistan supporting the Afghan mujahideen ^[1]
• The conflict played a significant role in the eventual dissolution of the Soviet Union ^[2]
• The Soviet military engaged in systematic human rights violations, including:
• Mass killings of civilians
• Use of chemical weapons
• Widespread displacement of populations
• Strategic terrorizing of civilian populations ^{[4] [5]}

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

Several potential sources of bias should be considered:

• Focus on Soviet casualties: By emphasizing Soviet military losses, the narrative potentially downplays the much larger civilian death toll and widespread atrocities documented by scholars and human rights organizations ^[4]
• Political implications: Different groups benefit from different narratives:
• Soviet/Russian sources might minimize civilian casualties and atrocities while emphasizing their military sacrifices
• Afghan sources and human rights organizations have documented systematic war crimes and potential genocide ^[4]
• Western sources emphasize the conflict's role in the Soviet Union's collapse ^[2]