Key facts
- Russian forces suffered over 50,000 personnel losses in September, including upwards of 28,000 killed, a NATO official told Bloomberg.
- Ukraine's General Staff estimated 46,230 Russian personnel losses in September 2026.
- Ukraine's Armed Forces suffered 5,000 casualties in September, according to the NATO official.
- Russian personnel losses increased by nearly 46% from January to September 2026, per Ukraine's General Staff.
- Russia has lost an estimated 1,552,840 personnel killed or wounded since February 2022, per Ukraine's General Staff.
Russian forces sustained significant personnel losses in September 2026, with a NATO official telling Bloomberg that the total exceeded 50,000, including over 28,000 killed on the battlefield. This figure represents the highest monthly total for the year.
Ukraine's General Staff provided a closely aligned estimate of 46,230 Russian personnel losses for September. The General Staff's figures indicate a substantial increase in Russian losses, rising from 31,710 in January to 46,230 in September, a nearly 46% jump.
The NATO official also stated that Ukraine's Armed Forces experienced approximately 5,000 casualties during the same month. Ukrainian officials have not immediately commented on this figure, and the Kyiv Independent could not independently verify it.
Inflicting heavy personnel losses has been a strategic objective for Ukraine. In January, then-Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov articulated a goal of "kill 50,000 Russians per month" to undermine Moscow's war-sustaining capacity. This objective comes as Russia faces pressure to replenish troops while maintaining offensive operations.
Ukrainian intelligence suggests Russia's General Staff is preparing for further mobilization, with plans for around 300,000 individuals in 2026 and another 300,000 in 2027 if necessary. President Volodymyr Zelensky previously stated in July that Russia's total troop losses, killed or wounded, had surpassed 1.5 million since the full-scale invasion began. As of October 11, Ukraine's General Staff reported cumulative Russian personnel losses at 1,552,840 since February 2022, a figure presumed to encompass killed, wounded, captured, and missing soldiers.