Russia Loses Over 35,000 Troops in April With No Gains to Show

Russian military losses for April 2026 are at 35,203 troops killed and wounded, reported Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense. The total number of targets struck by Ukrainian forces exceeded 160,000.

The figures are telling: in just two months of spring 2026, the Russian army has lost more than 70,000 troops. Based on trends from previous months, total Russian losses for the spring could exceed 100,000 killed and wounded.

Notably, this comes amid Russia’s planned spring offensive, which has yet to deliver tangible results for the Kremlin. No major Ukrainian city has been captured, and all key directions are holding the line, preventing Russian forces from advancing or reporting meaningful success to Moscow. For this reason, Russia’s military leadership has, for the fourth time, claimed full occupation of the Luhansk region. In reality, a small portion of the region remains under Ukrainian control.

There are no achievements the Russian army could showcase at the May 9 parade in Moscow. Moreover, the military component of this year’s parade is expected to be significantly reduced, with fewer vehicles, troops, and weapons displays. Amid concerns about potential attacks, Vladimir Putin, in a conversation with US President Donald Trump, even raised the possibility of a ceasefire specifically for May 9.

At the same time, Russia is not recruiting troops at the same rate as it is losing them. In the first quarter, estimates suggest between 70,000 and 80,000 troops were added. At the current rate of losses, Moscow could face a substantial manpower shortfall by the end of spring, ahead of a summer campaign, and it may not have the capacity to sustain.

A manpower deficit is already evident. Russia has concentrated most of its attacks in a single direction—the Donetsk region—where more than two-thirds of its forces and the majority of assaults are now focused. The Kremlin’s plan is to fully capture the region, but at present, Russian forces remain far from that goal, suffering record losses of more than 400 soldiers per square kilometer while making virtually no progress.

Additionally, Russian forces were all but driven out of the Dnipropetrovsk region over two spring months, in part due to Ukrainian offensive operations in the south.

Middle Strike in action

Over the past two months, there has also been a sharp increase in strikes conducted at distances beyond 20 kilometers, primarily involving so-called “Middle Strike” drones—a capability Ukraine has been rapidly expanding in recent months.

In April alone, the number of strikes at depths of 20–50 km increased by 85%, nearly doubling. Strikes beyond 50 km rose by 107%. Ukraine is increasingly targeting Russia’s rear logistics and degrading air defense systems at closer ranges, enabling deeper strikes. In total, more than 4,000 targets were hit at distances exceeding 20 km.

The rise in such strikes is reflected in the growing number of destroyed warehouses, troop deployment points, weapons depots, equipment storage facilities, and air defense systems. In April, several reports confirmed the destruction of key enemy command posts in the Donetsk and Kherson regions using mid-range drones.

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War in Ukraine

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All of this is affecting Russia’s ability to conduct offensive operations. Longer logistical routes complicate attack planning, and equipment must be moved farther from the front lines. As a result, Ukraine has contracted for five times as many Middle Strike drones to further degrade Russia’s capabilities.

April was another difficult month for the Russian army: despite failing to achieve results, it sustained heavy losses in both troops and offensive assets. Putin’s May 9 speech is unlikely to be a celebratory one.

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