Russia underplayed losses in recapture of Syria's Palmyra

Russian Cossack commander Vladimir Bagliy shows a local newspaper with a picture of his fellow Cossack Yuri Sokalsky (R) killed near the Syrian city of Palmyra, in the Black Sea town of Gelendzhik, Russia, March 16, 2017. REUTERS/Maria Tsvetkova

GELENDZHIK, Russia (Reuters) - Russia's force in Syria has suffered losses since late January more than three times higher than the official toll, according to evidence gathered by Reuters, a tally that shows the fight in Syria is tougher and more costly than the Kremlin has disclosed.

Eighteen Russian citizens fighting alongside Moscow's allies, the Syrian government forces, have been killed since Jan. 29 -- a period that coincided with intense fighting to recapture the city of Palmyra from the Islamic State group.