Nearly 70,000 Russian soldiers killed in Ukraine conflict, new analysis reveals

The BBC and independent Russian news outlet Mediazona reported on Friday that approximately 70,000 Russian soldiers have been killed since the Russian-Ukrainian war began.

This figure is based on publicly available information, including official statements, death notices, social media posts, and tombstone records in Russian cemeteries.

“We have identified the names of 70,112 Russian soldiers killed in Ukraine, but the actual number is believed to be much higher,” the BBC stated.

The British news agency noted that their analysis does not include deaths they were unable to verify, such as those of militia fighters from the Russian-occupied Donetsk and Luhansk regions.

The death toll reported by these organizations had stood at 66,000 in mid-August. However, further investigation by Mediazona, Meduza, and others suggests the real figure may be far greater.

By analyzing official inheritance data, they estimate the death toll could be as high as 120,000. Russia considers this information highly sensitive and does not officially release data on military casualties.

Meanwhile, Ukraine has also limited communication on its military losses to avoid demoralizing its population. In February, President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that around 31,000 Ukrainian soldiers had died, but experts believe the actual number is much higher.

According to a report by The Wall Street Journal, the war has resulted in over one million casualties on both sides. A confidential Ukrainian estimate earlier this year suggested that around 80,000 Ukrainian soldiers had died, with 400,000 wounded.

Western intelligence estimates place Russian military casualties at nearly 200,000 dead and 400,000 wounded.

The ongoing conflict, which has lasted more than two and a half years, continues to inflict heavy losses on both Ukrainian and Russian forces.