Russia lost nearly 126,000 soldiers in its fall offensive - ISW
Photo: Russia set a record for losses per day in November (Getty Images)
The Kremlin continues to suffer significant losses in personnel as it seeks tactical successes in the Donetsk region. This fall alone, Russian forces have lost nearly 126,000 soldiers during their offensives, reports the Institute for the Study of War (ISW).
Analysts have cited the latest data from the UK Ministry of Defense. On December 5, 2024, it was reported that Russia’s average daily personnel losses in November 2024 reached a historic high of 1,523 casualties per day.
Additionally, on November 28, 2024, Russian forces suffered over 2,000 losses in a single day for the first time. Estimates suggest that Russia's total losses for November amounted to 45,690 soldiers. The UK Ministry of Defense noted that November marked the fifth consecutive month of increased Russian casualties.
ISW calculations
According to analysts, geolocation evidence indicates that Russian forces advanced at a rate of approximately 27.96 square kilometers per day in November. In total, they seized 839 square kilometers during the month, including gains in both Ukraine and the Kursk region.
Earlier, ISW reported that Russian forces experienced heightened casualties in September and October 2024. During this period, they lost 80,110 soldiers while capturing about 1,517 square kilometers in Ukraine and the Kursk region.
Thus, Russian forces incurred approximately 125,800 personnel losses during the intense offensive operations in September, October, and November 2024. The Kremlin gained 2,356 square kilometers of territory in exchange for these sacrifices.
Analysts also assessed these losses from another perspective. According to their calculations, Russia lost around 53 soldiers for every square kilometer of territory captured.
As of the evening of December 5, a total of 170 combat engagements were recorded on the frontlines. The enemy most actively attempted to launch attacks in the Pokrovsk and Kurakhiv directions.
