Ukrainian General Staff: Russian war losses in Ukraine reach 700,000

Ukrainian military officials report Russian forces are sustaining approximately 1,300 casualties per day.

Nov 4, 2024 - 10:00
Ukrainian General Staff: Russian war losses in Ukraine reach 700,000

Dead soldiers.

Russian losses in Ukraine exceed 700,000 casualties, including both killed and wounded personnel, since the beginning of the full-scale invasion in February 2022, according to The General Staff of Ukraine.

The high casualty rates reflect a strategy employed by Russian forces that involves heavy infantry assaults often described as “meat grinder” tactics. This approach has led to substantial losses while attempting to make gradual territorial gains in eastern Ukraine. Despite these challenges, Russia continues to recruit new soldiers at a rate of approximately 30,000 per month, aiming to sustain its military operations against Ukraine

The General Staff of Ukraine reports that Russian forces lost an additional 1,300 personnel in the previous 24 hours. 

The reported material losses include over 9,000 tanks, 18,500 armored vehicles, and more than 20,000 artillery systems. The General Staff’s data also indicates significant losses in Russia’s air capabilities, with 369 aircraft and 329 helicopters destroyed since the war’s beginning.

On 28 October, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told The Times of India that Russia had lost about 650,000 military personnel killed and wounded in Ukraine.

In July, Ukrainian Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi stated that Russian losses on the front are three times higher than Ukrainian losses.

British Defense Ministry intelligence supported these claims of high Russian casualties, reporting that September saw record average daily losses of 1,271 Russian personnel. 

The Wall Street Journal, citing US analysts, characterized September 2024 as the deadliest month for Russian forces in the conflict, with daily casualties reaching approximately 1,200.

Ukrainian losses

Regarding Ukrainian losses, Zelenskyy disclosed on 25 February that 31,000 Ukrainian military personnel had been killed during the two years of full-scale war. He declined to reveal the number of wounded personnel for strategic reasons.

Prior to these disclosures, the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense had maintained a policy of keeping casualty figures classified until the end of martial law.

Related:

You could close this page. Or you could join our community and help us produce more materials like this.  We keep our reporting open and accessible to everyone because we believe in the power of free information. This is why our small, cost-effective team depends on the support of readers like you to bring deliver timely news, quality analysis, and on-the-ground reports about Russia's war against Ukraine and Ukraine's struggle to build a democratic society. A little bit goes a long way: for as little as the cost of one cup of coffee a month, you can help build bridges between Ukraine and the rest of the world, plus become a co-creator and vote for topics we should cover next. Become a patron or see other ways to support. Become a Patron!