British intelligence: How many soldiers has the Russian army lost in the war?

According to British intelligence, since the war against Ukraine began in 2022, the Russian army may have lost nearly 900,000 people, including those killed and wounded. This is mentioned in a new report from the British Ministry of Defence.

Largest losses

London estimates that Russian casualties have reached 200-250 thousand soldiers. This is the largest military loss for Russia since World War II.

British intelligence emphasized that the Russian leadership prioritizes war objectives over the lives of its soldiers. The report states that the Kremlin is prepared to accept high-level losses if it does not weaken public support and maintains the ability to continue mobilization.

Forced mobilization of ethnic minorities

The report notes that the Russian government is increasingly utilizing soldiers from impoverished regions in the war. In major cities like Moscow and St. Petersburg, the level of mobilization is low, but in areas with significant ethnic minority populations, forced mobilization is much higher.

"Soldiers from impoverished regions are disproportionately being sent to the front," the British government's report states.

Estimates from the Pentagon and independent sources

In November 2024, the Pentagon estimated the total losses of the Russian army at 615,000 people.

The British Ministry of Defence noted in June 2024 that Russia's losses were 610,000 people — of which 200,000 were killed, and more than 400,000 were wounded.

Vladimir Putin announced in June of this year that the Russian army had lost 135,000 soldiers.

Independent journalistic reports

BBC Russian Service and "Mediazona" journalists have identified the identities of 95,026 Russian soldiers and officers who were killed.

In January-February 2024, 5,007 new casualties were added to this list. Additionally, according to their calculations, between 21,000 and 23,500 soldiers were killed in the armed formations of the DPR and LPR. Among them are many who were forcibly mobilized and sent to the front with minimal preparation.

International analysts and independent sources indicate that the losses of the Russian army are very high. Meanwhile, the Kremlin has not officially confirmed these figures, only releasing its own estimates. This could further intensify information attacks and various positions regarding the war in Russia.