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The number of verified Russian troops killed in Ukraine has surpassed 100,000, more than three years after the Kremlin launched its full-scale invasion, according to an independent tally by the BBC’s Russian service and the Mediazona news website.
Of those killed, nearly one-quarter were volunteer soldiers, while more than 16% were convicted prisoners and over 11% were mobilized troops. Members of motorized rifle units accounted for nearly 7%, airborne forces for more than 3% and private mercenaries for over 2%.
Among the dead were more than 4,800 officers from the Russian Armed Forces and other security agencies. Their share of total casualties fell from 10% in the early months of the invasion to 2-3% by late 2023, as Russia ramped up recruitment of volunteers.
Mediazona noted on Friday that in nearly 30% of recorded deaths, the soldier’s service branch was unknown.
The outlets rely on open-source information, such as official statements, obituaries and social media posts to compile their figures. The Russian Defense Ministry rarely comments on its military losses in what it insists on calling a “special military operation.”
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The highest confirmed casualties were reported in the republics of Bashkortostan and Tatarstan, with 4,487 and 4,371 verified deaths, respectively. Moscow and its surrounding region accounted for 4,091 deaths.
At least 323 foreign nationals who fought for Russia were among the dead, while the nationality of 333 others was unverified.
Of the 85,400 soldiers whose ages were confirmed, nearly 43% were between the ages of 30 and 41.
BBC Russia and Mediazona estimate that their verified figures represent only about half of the actual death toll, suggesting that total Russian military deaths likely exceed 200,000.
In partially occupied Ukrainian regions and annexed Crimea, the tally includes Russian military casualties recorded after October 2022.
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