Through open source research, Mediazona, a Russian independent media outlet, together with BBC Russia, confirmed the names of 42,284 Russian soldiers who had been killed since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Since Mediazona’s last update on Dec. 29, the names of 1,685 Russian soldiers have been added to the list of casualties.
The journalists specify that the actual figures are likely considerably higher since the information they have verified so far comes from public sources, including obituaries, posts by relatives, news in regional media, and reports by local authorities.
Among the Russian casualties in the most recent update, Mediazona confirmed the names of four military personnel who were killed by a Ukrainian missile strike on the Russian landing ship Novocherkassk on Dec. 26. The attacked allegedly killed 74 and injured 27 Russian soldiers, according to a Ukrainian hacker group that claimed it had intercepted an email from the Russian Black Sea Fleet’s press service.
Since Russia’s full-scale invasion began, over 3,000 officers, with 349 holding the rank of Lieutenant Colonel or higher have been killed in combat in Ukraine. In contrast, there have been nearly 5,089 casualties among newly recruited Russian soldiers.
A majority of those killed in action come from Krasnodar, Sverdlovsk, Bashkiria, Chelyabinsk, and Moscow regions, as well as the Buryatia republic.
Total estimates of Russia’s casualties since the full-scale invasion vary widely.
As of Jan. 21, the General Staff of Ukraine’s Armed Forces says that Russia lost 376,030 troops in Ukraine since the beginning of its full-scale invasion on Feb. 24, 2022 – although that number is likely to be both those killed an injured during the war.
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Abhinav Thawait is a globe-trotting correspondent with a passion for international affairs. With a background in international relations, he offers a global perspective on the most pressing issues around the world. Abhinav’s curiosity takes his to the far corners of the earth, where he seeks to share untold stories and diverse viewpoints.
