Russian Media Confirms Identities of Over 80,000 Russian Soldiers Killed in Ukraine

Russian media have released a report confirming the identities of 80,973 Russian soldiers killed in the war in Ukraine since February 2022.

More than half of these casualties (52% of the total confirmed deaths) had no prior connection to the Russian military before the full-scale invasion. These include individuals who signed military contracts with the Russian Ministry of Defense after February 2022.

The report indicates a drastic increase in casualties among volunteers. Volunteer deaths currently comprise 22% of total confirmed Russian losses, compared to 14% in November 2023. Many volunteers are reportedly killed within two to four weeks of their deployment to the front lines.

Conversely, the proportion of convict casualties has decreased. In November 2023, convicts accounted for 26% of all Russian losses, but this figure has since dropped to 18%. This decline is presumably due to a reduction in recruitment from prisons.

The report emphasizes that the actual number of Russian military losses is likely significantly higher, as not all deaths are reported or in publicly available sources.

Earlier, Russia’s daily casualties surpassed 2,000 for the first time. A report from the General Staff of Ukraine released on November 29 stated that Russia’s forces had sustained 20,030 casualties over the past 24 hours.

Russia’s losses have increased by 30% in less than six months. On May 24, 2024, Ukraine’s General Staff reported 500,000 irrecoverable losses in the Russian army since the start of the full-scale invasion. The rate of casualties has since accelerated.