Ukraine war has claimed nearly 1.4 million troop casualties: Study

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Russia's ongoing war on Ukraine has led to around 1.4 million troop casualties on both the sides, according to a study by Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). While Russia has suffered 1 million casualties, Ukraine has suffered around 400,000 casualties. read more
Ukrainian servicemen carry a bag containing the body of a Ukrainian soldier as one of them, right, carries the remains of a body of a Russian soldier in a retaken area near the border with Russia in the Kharkiv region if Ukraine. (Photo: AP)
Russia's ongoing war on Ukraine has led to around 1.4 million military casualties, according to a study by Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS).
In February 2022, Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The invasion came eight years after Russia invaded and annexed Ukraine's Crimea region.
While Russian leader Vladimir Putin had thought his forces would overrun Ukraine within weeks if not days and he would install a puppet ruler in Kyiv after overthrowing the administration of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the war is now in its fourth year and Putin is nowhere near achieving the goals he set out with.
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The CSIS study has assessed that Russia has suffered around 1 million military casualties and Ukraine has suffered 400,000 — the worst toll on either country since the World War II.
Actual casualties of both sides are difficult to assess as Russian often undercounts its death to portray a false sense of victory and Ukraine does not release its casualty figures. The study is based on figures from US and British government estimates among other sources.
Russia pays heavy toll for war of attrition
Despite being stronger in every aspect, Russia has paid a heavy toll for the war on Ukraine — and it appears to be in a better place at least for now.
Out of around 1 million Russian casualties, around 250,000 soldiers have been killed, according to the study.
As for Ukraine, around 60-100,000 soldiers have been killed out of total 250,000 casualties.
While Russia lost more soldiers overall, Ukraine's share is higher. As Russia has a much larger population, and has foreign sources like North Korea providing several thousands of soldiers, it is in a much better position to absorb its losses.
Ukrainians are also outnumbered on the frontline as independent analysts have said that 400,000 Russian soldiers are facing around 250,000 Ukrainians.
Russia achieves little at high cost — But is it high enough?
The CSIS study found that Russian progress has halted for more than a year and its forces have progressed at some place at a pace of just around 165 feet a day.
Since January 2024, Russia has seized less than 1 per cent of Ukrainian territory, according to the study.
Overall, Russia controls around 19 per cent of Ukrainian territory, as per the Russia Matters project of the Harvard Kennedy School's Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs.
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Out of this 19 per cent territory, Russia had occupied around 12 per cent with the annexation of Crimea in 2014.
This means that Russia has suffered 1 million casualties, including 250,000 deaths, to capture just around 7 per cent territory in more than three years.
In addition to 1 million troop casualties, Russia has also lost nearly the entire Black Sea fleet, around a third of its long-range bomber and surveillance fleet, and some of its top generals.
Seth G Jones, a co-author of the CSIS study, told The New York Times, that the Russian campaign is among the slowest in modern history and Russia can only win if US President Donald Trump decides to end the support to Ukraine.
'They have suffered upwards of 1 million casualties. They have taken a tiny amount of territory and they have lost massive amounts of equipment…The Russians would hold the long-term balance of power if President Trump walks away. If the US doesn't walk, Putin is in serious trouble,' said Jones.
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