Media confirm death of more than 150,000 Russian soldiers in Ukraine

Mediazona maintains a name-by-name list of fallen Russian servicemen based on open sources: media publications, messages from relatives, funeral announcements, photos of graves, and other verified sources. As of December 4, 2025, the list includes 153,171 documented deaths. However, the outlet stresses that this is only the minimum, as not all cases are publicly reported.

To approximate the true scale of losses, Mediazona uses a methodology for estimating excess mortality among men using inheritance registry data, allowing them to account for those whose deaths were never made public.

According to the statistical assessment, actual losses are at least several times higher than the documented figures.

The outlet believes the lists do not cover all the dead, including mobilized soldiers, volunteers, prisoners of war, those killed in occupied territories, or those whose deaths were not disclosed.

Since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Moscow has rarely revealed real casualty numbers. This has made independent databases like Mediazona among the most reliable sources of such data.

In 2023, Mediazona and its partners in media and volunteer projects published updated estimates, reporting tens of thousands of confirmed deaths at the time.

Russia's losses by regions

The regional distribution of confirmed Russian casualties shows that most of the dead come from economically depressed national republics and densely populated regions with high mobilization rates.

Mediazona records losses based on the place of residence of the deceased. The highest figures are observed in the southern and Caucasus regions - Dagestan, North Ossetia, Chechnya, and Bashkortostan. Significant losses are also recorded in Buryatia, Yakutia, and Tuva, where mobilization was particularly widespread.

Among major regions, Krasnodar and Stavropol Krais, as well as Sverdlovsk, Chelyabinsk, Samara, and Rostov regions, lead in confirmed losses. Meanwhile, Moscow and St. Petersburg show much lower proportional casualties due to uneven mobilization.

The count reflects only deaths confirmed through open sources, meaning the real numbers may be far higher.

The peak of regional losses occurred after the 2022 mobilization and during the intense fighting of 2023–2025, especially in areas where volunteers and prisoners were heavily recruited.

The reality of war in Russia

As of December 1, 2025, nearly 90,000 applications have been filed in Russian courts to declare servicemen dead or missing.

Against this backdrop of legal claims, journalists have confirmed the deaths of at least 153,000 Russian soldiers.

The data is approximate but shows which categories of troops suffered the greatest losses at different stages:

• In summer–early autumn 2022, volunteers dominated the casualty lists;
• At the start of the invasion, Airborne Forces (VDV) and motor rifle units suffered the most;
• In late 2022 and early 2023, losses among prisoners recruited by Wagner surged sharply;
• By March 2023, prisoners became the largest group of casualties;
• Since September 2024, volunteers have again led due to a decline in prison recruitment and the absence of a new mobilization.

More than 6,100 Russian officers have been confirmed killed, including 12 generals; some died on the front line, others as a result of strikes or sabotage in the rear.

Russia's losses in the war

According to updated estimates from the General Staff of Ukrainian Armed Forces, Russia has lost approximately 1,177,370 personnel since the start of the full-scale invasion.

In the past 24 hours alone, Ukrainian Defense Forces eliminated another 1,140 Russian soldiers.

The Russian army continues to suffer daily losses in manpower and equipment in its war against Ukraine.

Between December 2 and 3, Ukrainian forces destroyed about 1,200 more Russian troops. Additionally, 12 artillery systems, 47 vehicles, and 90 enemy drones were destroyed.