Russian casualties in Ukraine exceed Afghanistan's sixfold
Independent Russian outlets, Meduza and Mediazona, are publishing war statistics for the first time. These outlets face bans, with the media ordinarily prohibited from broaching such topics. Consequently, no official figures appear in government-controlled publications.
3:44 AM EST, February 28, 2024
Yet, the truth, albeit perilous to pursue, can be discerned. Dissenting Russian media have scrutinized the registry of inheritance cases to glean insights.
This examination of publicly accessible data reveals a stark decrease in the male population aged 18-50, with inheritance claims for this demographic since February 24, 2022, significantly surpassing average figures from preceding years.
The sharp decline in young men's numbers is directly attributable to what is euphemistically termed by Putin as a "non-war." Official statistics from the Registry of Inheritance Matters, maintained by the government, show that the Russian Armed Forces have sustained losses of 75,000 personnel from February 2022 to the end of 2023, averaging 120 casualties daily.
The ongoing conflict continues to extract a heavy toll, with estimates suggesting that it has claimed over 80,000 Russian lives to date. These figures could substantially understate the actual count, as not every participant in Putin's "operation" is documented in the registry.
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Individuals without heirs or family members to lodge inheritance claims, as well as soldiers who disappeared in action and are still officially counted as living, are omitted from these records. Furthermore, numerous foreign recruits who have perished in battle – including Serbs, Indians, and Nepalese among others – are absent from the inheritance register.
As a result, estimates by expert analysts from Meduza and Mediazona indicate that the Kremlin's actions have culminated in approximately 300,000 deaths. With military operations persisting and an estimated 25 million potential reservists on standby, the death toll is expected to rise. Full-scale mobilization has yet to be announced.
The conflict has also severely strained Russia's labor resources. The demands of the frontline far exceed the pace at which the arms industry can supply, with Ukrainian forces decimating Russian equipment faster than it can be replaced.
Ukraine, too, bears the scars of loss. On the conflict's second anniversary, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky acknowledged the sacrifices made, revealing that 31,000 Ukrainian soldiers had fallen. However, a new Ukrainian registry, "UALoses," now lists 42,000 confirmed fatalities.
