Russian casualties in Ukraine soar, outpace prior invasions
In 2024, at least 45,287 Russian soldiers were killed in the war in Ukraine. This is almost three times more than in the first year of Russia's invasion, according to calculations published Monday by the Russian independent portals Mediazona and Meduza, as well as the Russian BBC service.
These media outlets collect and analyze information about Russians killed on the Ukrainian front since February 24, 2022, marking the beginning of Russia's aggression. They base their findings on both official and unofficial sources, such as blog and social media entries, obituaries, and observations of fresh graves in cemeteries.
So far, the names of 106,223 Russian soldiers who lost their lives during the invasion of Ukraine have been identified. It is noted, however, that the actual number of the deceased could be significantly higher. Military experts estimate that the identified casualties may represent 45 to 65% of the actual total number of deaths, believed to be between 164,200 and 237,200.
According to findings by the BBC and Russian portals, February 20, 2024, was the bloodiest day for Russian forces last year. On that day, four Ukrainian HIMARS missiles struck a base near the city of Volnovakha, located in the Russian-occupied part of the Donetsk region.
At the time of the attack, a ceremony was being held there to award medals to soldiers from the 36th Motorized Brigade. Sixty-five military personnel and their commander were killed, and dozens of others were injured. The Russian Ministry of Defense did not mention this incident in any of its official daily reports.
Overall, according to the American Institute for the Study of War (ISW), Russia captured 1,609 square miles of Ukrainian territory in 2024. This means that each square mile cost the lives of an average of 27 Russian soldiers.
They joined the army because they didn't have jobs
Most of the Russian soldiers who died at the front were volunteers from rural areas. As many as 38% of them went to fight without military experience. According to the report, most men who voluntarily enlisted in the army came from parts of Russia where it's difficult to find stable and good employment.
A one-time payment for signing a contract with the Russian army in the city of Ufa is 34 times the average salary in the region, which is 67,575 rubles or approximately $840. Soldiers also receive social benefits, including tax breaks.
According to BBC calculations, in the first year of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Russia lost at least 17,890 soldiers. This figure does not include losses suffered by Russian forces in the occupied eastern Ukrainian territories. In 2023, this number was 37,633 killed.
