Russian losses near record highs, says UK intelligence
Photo: 2025 could be a record year for losses for Russia (Getty Images)
Russia is approaching a new peak in battlefield losses, and this year could become the deadliest yet for Moscow in terms of military casualties, according to the UK Ministry of Defence on X.
According to analysts, Russia has likely lost around 950,000 troops killed and wounded since the start of its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. In just the first four months of 2025, Russia likely lost approximately 160,000 soldiers.
"Should these casualty rates persist for the rest of 2025, this would be the costliest of the war in terms of Russian personnel, continuing the year-on-year trend of casualty increases," the update said.
Photo: Russia’s losses have grown year by year (x.com/DefenceHQ)
According to Ukraine’s General Staff, the average daily Russian losses in April 2025 amounted to just over 1,200 personnel, with a total of 36,000 over the course of the month.
In March, Russia’s average daily losses were around 1,300 personnel. The highest casualty figures were recorded at the end of 2024 — nearly 1,600 per day — when Russia attempted to seize new territory.
"So far in 2025, Russia has not been able to translate continued heavy losses into significant advances in Ukraine," British intelligence emphasizes.
Russian losses at the front
Russia continues to push along the front lines despite Russian dictator Vladimir Putin’s declaration of a “ceasefire” for May 9. According to Ukraine’s Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi, combat intensity has increased, and Russian forces are attempting to reach the administrative border between Donetsk and Dnipropetrovsk regions.
According to the General Staff, as of May 3, Russia’s losses on the front have exceeded 955,000 troops. Over the past day alone, Ukraine’s Armed Forces eliminated another 1,170 Russian soldiers.
As reported by Russian opposition media, in 2024 Russia captured 4,168 square kilometers, with each kilometer "costing" the lives of 27 Russian soldiers, not including the wounded.
