Mediazona, a Russian independent media outlet, along with BBC Russia, has confirmed the names of 49,281 Russian soldiers who have been killed since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The journalists note that the actual number is likely higher as their information comes from public sources like obituaries, posts by relatives, and reports by local authorities. Over 3,300 officers, including 386 with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel or higher, have been killed in combat in Ukraine. The highest-ranking Russian military official to have been killed so far is Lieutenant General Oleg Tsokov. Majority of those killed come from regions like Rostov, Sverdlovsk, Bashkiria, Chelyabinsk, and the Buryatia republic.
In a joint study with Meduza, another independent Russian media outlet, Mediazona reported in February that at least 83,000 Russian soldiers had been killed in the war. However, total estimates of Russia’s casualties vary widely. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg estimated that over 350,000 Russian troops have been lost since the invasion began. This includes both killed and injured soldiers. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky claimed that 180,000 Russians have been killed in the war, compared to 31,000 Ukrainian soldiers. The exact number of casualties is still unknown and will only become clear once territories are liberated. The General Staff of Ukraine’s Armed Forces reported that Russia has lost 440,790 troops in Ukraine since the invasion started.
In the two years of total war, Moscow has employed various tactics to continue the conflict, including holding a draft, expanding state-sponsored mercenary companies, recruiting convicted prisoners, integrating proxies from occupied regions, and forcibly conscripting individuals in occupied territories. These efforts demonstrate the extent to which Russia is willing to go to maintain its military presence in Ukraine. The ongoing conflict has led to significant casualties on both sides, with a high number of Russian soldiers losing their lives in combat. The exact toll of the war remains uncertain, with different sources providing varying estimates of Russian casualties.
Despite the devastating human cost of the conflict, independent media outlets like Mediazona and BBC Russia are committed to highlighting the realities of the war in Ukraine. Their open-source research has helped shed light on the number of Russian soldiers who have been killed in combat since the invasion began. By documenting the names and details of these casualties, these journalists are providing a valuable service in a challenging and dangerous environment. The continued efforts of these media outlets to report on the conflict in Ukraine are essential for promoting transparency, accountability, and the importance of independent journalism in times of crisis.
The staggering number of Russian soldiers killed in Ukraine underscores the brutality and intensity of the conflict, as well as the human toll it has taken on both sides. The high casualties among Russian troops highlight the challenges faced by the Russian military in its invasion of Ukraine, as well as the resilience and determination of the Ukrainian forces. The ongoing war serves as a grim reminder of the devastating impact of armed conflict on civilian populations and the critical need for a peaceful resolution to the conflict. Independent journalists and media outlets play a crucial role in documenting the human cost of war and holding those responsible for violence and aggression to account. Support for independent journalism in Ukraine is vital to ensuring that the voices of those affected by the conflict are heard and the truth is revealed.
