Russia sets another anti-record for wartime losses
llustrative photo: In January, Russia lost more soldiers than it mobilized (Russian media)
In January 2026, Russia, for the second time since the start of the full-scale war, lost more soldiers than it mobilized, according to the commander of Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces, Robert "Madyar" Brovdi.
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According to him, 22,000 recruits joined the Russian army last month. At the same time, confirmed Russian losses in January totaled 30,618 troops. As a result, 8,618 more Russian soldiers were killed than were mobilized or contracted.
"Madyar" stressed that every third Russian soldier was eliminated specifically by units of Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces.
He added that in January alone, the forces struck 1,012 enemy drone launch sites and 1,404 pieces of related equipment, destroyed 2,128 enemy reconnaissance and attack drones, 478 artillery systems, 80 tanks, 88 armored personnel carriers and infantry fighting vehicles, 44 air defense and multiple launch rocket systems, 27 radar systems, and 1,705 units of logistical equipment, among other targets.
"Madyar" also noted that in December 2025, Unmanned Systems Forces units eliminated 22% more Russian troops — 12,037 in total. He said January’s lower figures were due to weather conditions and reduced enemy assault activity.
Successful Unmanned Systems Forces operations
Earlier, units of Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces destroyed a rare Russian electronic warfare system, the KOP-2, using just two drones.
Previously, the forces also struck the Russian R-330Zh Zhitel electronic warfare station, valued at about $10 million.
In addition, on the night of January 13, Unmanned Systems Forces attacked energy facilities in occupied Mariupol in the Donetsk region and destroyed an ammunition depot in Makiivka.
Before that, Madyar reported that over two days, the forces carried out a series of strikes against Russian air defense systems in the Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia regions.
In just 48 hours, six air defense missile systems and radar stations were destroyed — assets that formed the backbone of Russia’s so-called layered air defense system.
