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Russia’s Confirmed Military Death Toll in Ukraine Passes 350,000, Investigation Finds
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![Photo of Ivan Khomenko]( "Photo of Ivan Khomenko")
Russia’s confirmed military losses in Ukraine have exceeded 350,000 dead since the start of the full-scale invasion, according to a joint investigation published on May 9 by Meduza, Mediazona, and the BBC News Russian Service.
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The investigation estimates that at least 352,000 Russian servicemen were killed between February 2022 and the end of 2025. The figure is based on named casualty lists, Russia’s inheritance registry, and court records reviewed by the three outlets.
The estimate now includes not only officially registered deaths processed through Russia’s civil registry offices, but also military personnel declared dead or missing through court procedures.
Researchers said around 261,000 deaths were identified through standard registration data, while an additional 90,000 cases involved soldiers recognized as dead or missing by Russian courts.
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The investigation states that casualty levels increased significantly during 2024 and 2025, as combat intensity along the front line escalated. During that period, Russian courts reportedly received up to 86,000 requests from military units and relatives seeking legal recognition of missing servicemen as deceased.
According to the report, researchers also identified a sharp rise in what they described as “delayed registrations” in inheritance records—cases in which the official opening of an inheritance case occurred months after the reported date of death.
Before Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, such cases were uncommon, the investigation noted. By the end of 2025, researchers counted more than 52,000 similar registrations.
The outlets said their estimate represents a minimum documented figure and does not include foreign nationals fighting for Russia or soldiers still officially listed as missing without completed court procedures.
According to the investigation, losses may also be affecting Russia’s ability to replenish manpower. The report referenced Ukrainian military estimates claiming that between December 2025 and April 2026, Russian forces lost approximately 156,700 personnel killed or wounded while recruiting around 148,400 volunteers during the same period.
At the same time, Ukraine’s General Staff reported on May 9 that Russian forces had lost an additional 1,080 troops over the previous 24 hours, bringing Moscow’s estimated total personnel losses since February 2022 to more than 1.34 million.
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