Russian Troop Losses Rapidly Approaching 1.5 Million: Kyiv
Russia has for years employed tactics that rack up high casualty counts to seize small pockets of Ukrainian land, experts say.
Russia is rapidly approaching 1.5 million casualties in Ukraine, Ukrainian military figures warn. The tally, including soldiers killed and injured, stands at 1,460,400 as of Tuesday. Both sides are known to inflate enemy losses to bolster morale, foreign support, and negotiating positions. Western estimates suggest slightly lower numbers, while the UK's GCHQ estimates around 500,000 Russian troops killed.
Moscow has suffered up to 450,000 battlefield deaths, more than nine times the number of Soviet and Russian soldiers lost in all wars combined since 1945. Analysts say elite Russian soldiers made up most early losses, but volunteer death tolls surged by 2022. Prisoners and Wagner mercenaries have faced especially high casualty rates.
Hundreds of thousands of foreign fighters, including North Koreans, bolster Russia's military. Putin plans to call up up to 500,000 reservists this fall, a move that could spark domestic dissent. Peace talks have stalled, and recent strikes by Russian forces have targeted Ukrainian infrastructure.
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