Russia Throws More Troops Into Ukraine and Suffers Even Bigger Losses

Oct 08, 2026 17:30

4 min read

Prefer U24 Media on Google

Authors

Illia Kabachynskyi

Feature Writer

Just a week ago, we reported that September had become the deadliest month of 2026 for Russian forces in Ukraine, with more than 46,000 troops killed or wounded. Now, the first days of October suggest that Russia’s losses are not slowing down.

Only Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces reported striking 13,358 Russian troops—25.35% more than in August. September was the USF’s most successful month to date, with Russian troops being eliminated at a rate of nearly one every three minutes. 

The USF continued to report strong results in October 2026. For 10 consecutive days, its units eliminated more than 500 Russian troops per day. A record was set on October 4, when 637 Russian soldiers were killed or wounded in a single day.

Overall Russian losses in October also remain higher than usual, exceeding 1,500–2,000 troops day after day, according to the General Staff’s daily reports. In the first week of October alone, total Russian military losses in killed and wounded exceeded 12,000 troops.

The rise in Kremlin losses points to a covert mobilization effort, says USF commander Robert “Madyar” Brovdi. Since the beginning of October, units under his command have reported an increase in the frequency and intensity of Russian attacks, which has directly affected casualty figures:

• Russian troops killed or wounded increased by 39.7% during the first five days of October compared with the same period in September;

• The figure was 76.5% higher than in August 2026;

• Year over year, the figure doubled.

Reports of additional mobilization have previously appeared both in the media and in statements by Ukrainian and European intelligence agencies. The figures cited range from an additional 500,000 to 600,000 troops.

Read more

Category

War in Ukraine

1.5 Million and Counting: Why Russia Is Losing Its Army at a Record Pace

Sep 21, 2026 11:04

Russia is recruiting more troops for one reason: to increase pressure on Ukrainian positions along the front. The objective is the complete occupation of the Donetsk region, followed by further advances into other regions.

Ukraine managed to disrupt Russia’s spring and summer offensive campaigns. During that period, Russian forces failed to capture significant amounts of territory and, in some areas, were forced to retreat. The Kremlin, therefore, sees additional mobilization as the only way to change the situation on the battlefield and is prepared to send even more people to war despite steadily rising losses.

At the same time, Ukrainian forces are conducting active defensive operations that are preventing the Russian military from advancing with confidence. Recent months have produced notable results. 

One example is Operation Vivaldi, during which Ukrainian forces liberated 176 square kilometers of territory in the Donetsk region, eliminated 5,000 Russian troops, and captured 250 more. 

During the operation’s three stages, Ukrainian forces also managed to stop Russian attempts to bypass Kramatorsk and put additional pressure on the city. Overall, since the beginning of the year, the Ukrainian military has regained control of approximately 1,000 square kilometers of territory across different sectors of the front.

Current figures indicate that although the Kremlin has ordered its forces to increase pressure on Ukrainian positions, the Russian military’s fall offensive is currently stalling, even with more troops being committed to the fight. A change in weather conditions is also approaching, which will directly hamper Russia’s ability to assault Ukrainian positions.

The challenge for Ukraine is to ensure a steady supply of essential equipment and weapons to frontline units, including drones, unmanned ground vehicles, artillery shells, mines, and other weapons needed for active combat operations. This is why support from Ukraine’s partners remains critically important for ensuring that manufacturers can receive contracts on time and that the military can subsequently be supplied with the equipment it needs.

On the Frontline of Truth

Our reporters work on the frontlines to show what’s really happening in Ukraine. Your support helps them keep reporting.

SUPPORT