Key facts
- Independent Russian media outlets Mediazona and BBC Russian Service confirmed the identities of 227,680 Russian military personnel killed in Ukraine.
- The confirmed death toll includes over 83,300 volunteers, 25,600 recruited prisoners, 19,100 mobilized soldiers, and 7,279 officers.
- The outlets noted that actual figures are likely significantly higher due to reliance on public sources.
- The Kyiv Independent stated it cannot independently verify the reporting.
- Previous estimates from Zelensky and Syrskyi indicated monthly losses and cumulative figures exceeding 83,000 by May.
- Ukraine's General Staff estimates total Russian losses at approximately 1,390,660 troops.
An investigation by independent Russian media outlets Mediazona and BBC Russian Service has confirmed the identities of 227,680 Russian military personnel killed in Ukraine since the full-scale invasion began. This figure represents an increase of 2,661 confirmed deaths since the outlets' last update in early June.
The confirmed casualties include a significant number of volunteers, recruited prisoners, mobilized soldiers, and officers. Specifically, over 83,300 volunteers, 25,600 prisoners, 19,100 mobilized soldiers, and 7,279 officers have been identified among the deceased. The media outlets noted that their verified information is derived from public sources such as obituaries, social media posts by relatives, regional media reports, and official statements, suggesting the actual death toll is likely considerably higher.
The date of death is known for 209,300 of the confirmed casualties, accounting for 92% of the total. The Kyiv Independent has stated that it cannot independently verify these figures. However, independent Western assessments have consistently indicated that Russian losses significantly surpass Ukrainian casualties.
Earlier this year, President Volodymyr Zelensky estimated Russian monthly losses at over 35,000 soldiers. As of May 20, Commander-in-chief Oleksandr Syrskyi reported that more than 83,000 Russian soldiers had been killed. Russian authorities have not released official figures on their army's losses since the invasion. In February, Zelensky stated that at least 55,000 Ukrainian soldiers had been killed. A separate estimate by Mediazona and Meduza in early May suggested that 352,000 Russian men between the ages of 18 and 59 have been killed. The General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces estimates total Russian troop losses at approximately 1,390,660 since February 22, 2022, a figure that includes killed, wounded, missing, and captured personnel.