Key facts
- Ukraine's General Staff reported 1,511,530 Russian military losses since Feb. 24, 2022.
- Over 300,000 Russian military losses have been reported since the start of 2026.
- The summer months saw the highest Russian casualties, with 124,170 military casualties recorded.
- July alone saw a record 42,860 casualties.
- Russia lost 12,345 tanks, 25,339 armored combat vehicles, and 519,069 aerial drones.
Russia has suffered approximately 1,511,530 military losses in Ukraine since the full-scale invasion began on February 24, 2022, according to a September 16 report from the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. This figure includes 1,530 casualties incurred by Russian forces over the preceding day.
Since the start of 2026, Russian forces have sustained over 301,000 casualties, with the summer months recording the highest losses. The General Staff estimated that these nearly 300,000 losses since 2026 are equivalent to the personnel strength of 150 motorized rifle regiments, with approximately 2,000 troops per regiment.
July alone saw a record 42,860 casualties, and August also exceeded 40,000. As of September 15, Russia had lost 20,360 troops in September. The total Russian military losses in Ukraine reached 1,500,870 by September 9, according to the General Staff.
An electronic warfare operator identified as 'Strada' told The Kyiv Independent that high casualties are linked to Russian tactics, including deploying infantry in waves and a willingness to sacrifice troops for territorial gains, particularly during intensified summer fighting. These constant losses are gradually affecting the quality of personnel and training.
Independent Western think-tank reports, such as one from the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), estimate that Russian casualties significantly surpass Ukraine's losses, with a ratio of "roughly 2.5:1 or 2:1." A January 2026 CSIS report estimated Ukraine suffered between 500,000 and 600,000 casualties from February 2022 to December 2025, with 100,000 to 140,000 killed in action. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated on February 4 that at least 55,000 Ukrainian soldiers had been killed in action, with many more missing.