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The number of verified Russian troops killed in Ukraine has surpassed 90,000, nearly 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.
The outlets rely on open-source information, such as official statements, obituaries and social media posts to compile their figures. Moscow rarely comments on its military losses in what it insists on calling a “special military operation.”
The report revealed that 23% of those killed were soldiers who signed military contracts after the 2022 invasion began. More than half of the casualties had no prior affiliation with the Russian army or National Guard (Rosgvardia) before the war.
The average age of Russian soldiers killed in 2024 was 36, marking an increase compared to the first two years of the full-scale war. Among those killed 23% were volunteer soldiers, 17% were contract soldiers, 17% were convicted prisoners, 11% were mobilized soldiers and nearly 3% were private mercenaries.
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The regions with the highest confirmed casualties are the republics of Bashkortostan and Tatarstan, with 3,932 and 3,804 verified deaths, respectively. Moscow and its surrounding region account for 3,673 deaths.
BBC Russia and Mediazona estimate their verified figures represent only about half of the actual death toll, suggesting the true number of Russian military deaths is likely between 138,500 and 200,000.
This tally excludes fighters from annexed areas of southeastern Ukraine, where the outlets estimate an additional 21,000 to 23,500 have been killed.
Western and Ukrainian intelligence agencies have placed Russia’s total casualties — including those killed, wounded and missing — between 600,000 and 700,000 as of October. However, some believe those estimates are greatly inflated.
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