Russia tries to portray Ukraine's long-range strikes as obstacle to negotiations

Russia experienced its worst month for troop losses since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in 2022, with the country suffering an estimated 54,400 combat casualties in October, according to the General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces. This figure represents an increase of 8,170 soldiers compared to September, and includes those killed, wounded, and missing in action. The high rate of losses is concerning because it exceeds the enemy's capacity to replenish its units.

The National Guard's 1st Azov Corps reported that a significant portion of Russia's losses came from their offensive towards the city of Dobropillia in Donetsk Oblast. The Corps estimates that over 6,800 Russian troops were killed, wounded, or captured in this key area during October. Ukrainian Unmanned Systems Forces reported that they engaged and killed a Russian soldier every 159 seconds in October, averaging 542 daily casualties.

As Russia's combat losses mount, President Volodymyr Zelensky has warned that Moscow may mobilize up to 300,000 additional troops following the September elections. So far, Russia has announced plans to conscript an additional 120,000 soldiers on October 2. Ukrainian Defense Forces vow to continue inflicting losses on the occupiers until Russia's armed aggression against Ukraine is halted.

Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, Russia has lost a total of 1,590,270 troops in Ukraine. The General Staff has not disclosed its own casualties during the conflict, citing operational secrecy. Independent Western think-tank reports, such as the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), agree that Russian casualties significantly surpass Ukraine's, with the ratio of casualties estimated at roughly 2.5:1 or 2:1.

A January 2026 CSIS report estimated that Ukraine has suffered between 500,000 and 600,000 casualties from February 2022 to December 2025, with between 100,000 and 140,000 of those being killed in action.