- Category
- Latest news
Russia Loses 156 Soldiers for Every Kilometer of Ukrainian Territory, Says Zelenskyy
- Authors
![Photo of Katherina Popilnichenko]( "Photo of Katherina Popilnichenko")
-c439b7bd9030ecf9d5a4287dc361ba31.jpg "Photo of Katherina Popilnichenko")
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russian forces are suffering heavy losses for minimal territorial gains, adding that the Kremlin has failed to present any real battlefield successes to its citizens, according to a statement on February 19.
We bring you stories from the ground. Your support keeps our team in the field.
The president explained that even the nationalist and radicalized parts of Russian society are losing trust in their leadership. “Even their audience—the nationalistic, radicalized part of Russian society –does not trust the government and Putin. Because they see that there are no successful steps on the battlefield,” Zelenskyy said.
Current reports indicate that Russia is losing between 30,000 and 35,000 soldiers every month through deaths or serious injuries. Regarding the cost of the fighting, the President added, “They truly pay with the lives of 156 people to occupy one kilometer of our land. And we also have our offensive steps, and then they lose it.”
Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov informed European officials at a recent meeting that Russian losses are continuing to rise. He stated that in December, the Russian military suffered 35,000 casualties, including those killed and severely wounded. These figures have been verified with video evidence.
Data from January 2026 shows that the Russian army lost more soldiers in combat than it was able to recruit through mobilization during that month.
At the same time, the Ukrainian Defense Forces are increasing their use of drones to strike the enemy. Since the summer of 2025, the effectiveness of the Unmanned Systems Forces in destroying targets has grown from 4% to 33%.
Earlier, drone operators from the Dnipro-1 Regiment of the Liut United Assault Brigade successfully destroyed a rare Russian reconnaissance drone known as “Knyaz Vishchyy Oleh.” The Russian military had recently introduced this new plane-type system for deep reconnaissance missions within the brigade’s area of operations.
Despite Russian claims of the drone’s high survival rate and its ability to blend in with Ukrainian aircraft, the unit identified and neutralized the target.
-7f54d6f9a1e9b10de9b3e7ee663a18d9.png)
-33441405bda6df220cc127a38043a08d.jpg "U2, Ed Sheeran Collaborate With Ukrainian Band Antytila on New Track “Yours Eternally”")
-5c046892336e809095181703f36c6c6e.png "Russian Military Network Disrupted as ATESH Destroys Lipetsk Communications Tower")
