Latest news with #CSIS
NDTV
an hour ago
- Politics
- NDTV
Russia Casualties Near 1 Million Mark In Ukraine War: Report
Around 250,000 Russian military personnel were killed in Ukraine with over 950,000 total casualties since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in 2022, according to a new report by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). The think tank now warns that total Russian casualties may cross the 1 million mark by this summer. Despite ramping up offensives since early 2024, Russia's military progress has been sluggish at best. The human count has been matched by catastrophic equipment losses. Russian tanks, artillery, and armoured vehicles are being lost at alarming rates, sometimes with 5:1 attrition ratios favouring Ukraine. Despite receiving arms from China, Iran, and North Korea, and increasing domestic production, Russia continues to exchange thousands of vehicles and soldiers for marginal territorial gains. In the Kharkiv region, Russian troops have advanced at a rate of just 50 metres per day, while in Donetsk's Avdiivka-Pokrovsk sector, the figure stands at 135 metres per day, both slower than the trench warfare pace seen during World War I. Since January 2024, Moscow has seized less than 5,000 square km of Ukrainian territory, about 1 per cent of the country. This contrasts sharply with the 120,000 square km captured in the early weeks of 2022, and Ukraine's dramatic counter-offensives that recaptured 50,000 square km later that year. Ukraine, too, has paid a heavy price. The CSIS report estimates that 60,000 to 100,000 Ukrainian soldiers have been killed, with total casualties around 400,000. Still, Ukrainian forces have maintained a strong defensive edge, fortifying trenches, laying mines, and deploying drone warfare effectively, even striking Russian bombers deep behind enemy lines. Russia's tactical approach has involved sending small, poorly trained infantry squads to probe Ukrainian lines. These units often serve as bait to expose Ukrainian positions, which are then targeted by artillery and drones. These tactics, however, have produced limited results and disproportionately high casualties. Long-range strikes, including cruise missiles and FPV drones, continue to terrorise Ukrainian civilians without significantly altering the battlefield dynamics. Experts say this reflects a sharp decline from Russia's once-vaunted "deep battle" doctrine. The CSIS warns that Russian President Vladimir Putin is playing a long game, hoping that US military aid to Ukraine will eventually dry up. The report draws parallels with past US withdrawals from Syria and Afghanistan, suggesting Moscow is banking on Western fatigue as its best chance for a breakthrough. Yet, the report stresses that Washington still holds powerful levers. Enforcing tougher sanctions on Russian oil and gas, seizing $300 billion in frozen Russian assets, and continuing military aid without deploying American troops could critically damage Russia's war effort. The war's outcome now hinges on whether the US chooses to fully use its economic and military advantages, or walk away, the report concludes.
Time of India
8 hours ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Russia's death toll nears a million in its deadliest war since WWII and there's no end in sight yet
Russia is on track to surpass one million troop casualties in its full-scale war on Ukraine by the summer of 2025. That's according to a new study from the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), a leading think tank in Washington, DC. The report puts the number of Russian killed and wounded at around 950,000 to date, with an estimated 250,000 confirmed dead. If the current pace of fighting continues, the one million mark could be reached in a matter of weeks. 'No Soviet or Russian war since World War II has even come close to Ukraine in terms of fatality rate,' the CSIS report stated. Analysts called the casualty toll 'a stunning and grisly milestone' and a clear sign of 'Putin's blatant disregard for his soldiers.' Play Video Pause Skip Backward Skip Forward Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration 0:00 Loaded : 0% 0:00 Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 1x Playback Rate Chapters Chapters Descriptions descriptions off , selected Captions captions settings , opens captions settings dialog captions off , selected Audio Track default , selected Picture-in-Picture Fullscreen This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Text Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Caption Area Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Drop shadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Russian deaths mount, but gains do not The scale of losses far outweighs Russia's territorial gains. Since the February 2022 invasion, Russia has captured only 12% of Ukrainian territory. Of the 19% it now holds, 7% was already under Russian or proxy control before the war began, including Crimea and parts of Donbas. The CSIS says Russia's advances since January 2024 amount to a mere 1% of Ukrainian territory. In some areas, the pace has slowed to 50 metres per day — slower than the infamous Somme offensive in World War I. Live Events 'Russia has largely failed to achieve its primary objectives and has suffered high costs,' the report said. Moscow's 'meat grinder' tactics The war has devolved into trench-based attrition. Kyiv has fortified its lines with defences and mines, while Moscow has resorted to what analysts describe as 'meat grinder' assaults — sending waves of troops into heavily defended positions for minor gains. British and U.S. intelligence agencies have estimated that Russia is losing around 1,000 soldiers a day, either killed or wounded. These figures align with the CSIS report. To maintain manpower, the Kremlin has pulled prisoners from jails and recruited heavily in poorer, remote regions of Russia, often offering lucrative pay to lure soldiers. 'Putin likely considers these types of soldiers more expendable and less likely to undermine his domestic support base,' the CSIS noted. Ukrainian casualties also high Ukraine has paid a steep price too. The CSIS estimates Kyiv has suffered nearly 400,000 casualties, with between 60,000 and 100,000 of those killed. Given Ukraine's population is a quarter the size of Russia's, the losses have had a deep impact. Despite this, Ukraine's military has been more effective in conserving its resources. The report says Ukraine has kept its equipment losses to a fraction of Russia's, and has slowed the Russian offensive to a near-halt. Russia-Ukraine War: Cost in machines and men The material losses for Russia are staggering. Since January 2024 alone, it has lost: 1,900 tanks 3,100 infantry fighting vehicles 1,150 armoured fighting vehicles 300 self-propelled artillery systems 'Russia has lost substantial quantities of equipment across the land, air, and sea domains, highlighting the sharp matériel toll of its attrition campaign,' the report stated. Ukraine, meanwhile, has struck deep into Russian-held territory. In its recent 'Spider Web' drone operation, Ukraine claimed to have damaged or destroyed 41 aircraft and inflicted up to $7 billion in damage across five Russian airbases. The strikes reached as far as 4,000 miles into Russian territory. Political cost and strategic deadlock Despite heavy losses, Russia continues to enjoy the battlefield initiative. Yet, progress is slow and strategic gains have plateaued. 'Few opportunities for decisive breakthroughs' remain, the report said. Putin has avoided recruiting from Russia's wealthy urban centres. Instead, he has leaned on rural regions and allied forces. Over 10,000 North Korean troops have joined Russian ranks, and convicts have been released in exchange for military service. Meanwhile, Moscow's dependence on China has deepened. Cut off from Western markets, Russia now leans heavily on Beijing for military supplies, consumer goods, and energy exports — shifting the balance of the partnership. Analysts say Russia has lost strategic autonomy and become a 'subservient partner' to China. The CSIS warns that the war's 'blood cost' is Putin's key vulnerability. Without a course correction, Russia could find its military capability deteriorating rapidly. 'For Putin, the war is such a disaster, and the Russian military has reached a point where from sometime this summer, its capability is all downhill: less armour, less ammunition, less resources, less motivation,' Richard Dearlove, former head of Britain's MI6, told NBC News in April. 'But Putin doesn't have a reverse gear on his policy.' The outlook depends not only on Russian endurance, but also on the West. If U.S. support wavers — as it briefly did under President Donald Trump earlier this year — the balance could tip. The CSIS report argues that Russia's best hope is not on the battlefield, but in the possibility that Washington might 'walk away from the conflict.' So far, diplomacy has failed to gain traction. Talks in Istanbul, mediated by the U.S., have stalled. Russia demands full Ukrainian surrender. Kyiv says any deal requiring capitulation is unacceptable. For now, the war grinds on — slowly, painfully, and at immense cost.
Time of India
9 hours ago
- Business
- Time of India
How NASA fund cuts offer a chance for transformation
NASA is facing an unprecedented budget crisis that threatens to reshape the agency dramatically. The White House's fiscal year 2026 'skinny' budget proposal, released in May 2025, calls for a nearly $6 billion cut about 25% less than NASA's 2025 funding. Science programs face the harshest blow with a proposed 50% reduction. Traditional pillars like the Space Launch System (SLS), Orion spacecraft, and the Gateway lunar outpost are set to be phased out or cancelled after the Artemis 3 mission. While these cuts spark concern, many experts see this moment as a rare opportunity to transform NASA into a leaner, more agile agency that can thrive in a new era of space exploration. Historic scale of NASA fund cuts and their impact The scale of these cuts is historic. Adjusted for inflation, NASA's funding would revert to levels seen in the early 1960s, before the Apollo program. This level of reduction inevitably threatens thousands of jobs potentially up to 30,000 civil servants and contractors and imperils longstanding programs. The science division, responsible for some of NASA's most high-profile missions, faces the largest reductions, with key projects like Mars Sample Return cancelled and others like NEO Surveyor in uncertain limbo. Space technology efforts critical to future lunar and Mars exploration are also slated for sharp cuts. Uncertainty surrounding human spaceflight and the ISS Despite the severity, NASA's leadership has been cautious, awaiting full budget details to understand which missions might survive. The International Space Station (ISS), a symbol of international collaboration, faces cuts that could reduce crew size and accelerate retirement plans. More fundamentally, the budget signals that NASA will likely no longer operate human-rated spacecraft within five years, relying entirely on commercial providers for crew transport and exploration. Challenges of a fully commercialised human spaceflight future This potential 'commercialization' of human spaceflight raises questions about NASA's identity and public support. However, it also reflects a strategic shift that some argue NASA must embrace to remain competitive, particularly with China's expanding lunar ambitions. Experts like Alex MacDonald of CSIS and Dan Dumbacher of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics highlight the risk of workforce erosion and industrial base losses similar to those seen after Apollo and the Space Shuttle programs. Reinventing NASA through commercial partnerships Yet, amid this crisis lies opportunity. Many voices in the space community emphasize that NASA's traditional model is due for reform. The agency's bureaucratic inertia and risk aversion have hampered agility and innovation. Leveraging commercial partnerships more deeply, as NASA did during the successful COTS program that birthed SpaceX's cargo missions, could enable faster, cheaper, and more sustainable exploration. Envisioning a lunar COTS model and international collaboration Peter Garretson of the American Foreign Policy Council envisions a future where NASA acts as a central mission planner, outsourcing infrastructure development and operations to private firms through incentive-driven programs. This 'lunar COTS' model could stimulate new industry growth, keep international partners engaged by shifting focus to lunar surface contributions, and streamline NASA's core functions. Turning crisis into long-term success In sum, while the proposed 2026 budget presents severe challenges, it forces NASA to confront an urgent question: what should the agency look like for the next half-century? The difficult decisions ahead could break NASA free from outdated paradigms, enabling it to innovate, collaborate, and lead human space exploration in a more sustainable and impactful way. As MacDonald puts it, 'There is a new NASA that can emerge one that leverages commercial capabilities, operates leaner, and continues to do amazing things.' NASA's budget crisis, though painful, may be the catalyst for transformation the agency needs to remain a space exploration pioneer in the 21st century.
Yahoo
10 hours ago
- General
- Yahoo
General Staff: Russia has lost 992,750 troops in Ukraine since Feb. 24, 2022
Russia has lost around 992,750 troops in Ukraine since the beginning of its full-scale invasion on Feb. 24, 2022, the General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces reported on June 5. The number includes 930 casualties that Russian forces suffered just over the past day. According to the report, Russia has also lost 10,887 tanks, 22,680 armored fighting vehicles, 50,812 vehicles and fuel tanks, 28,750 artillery systems, 1,406 multiple launch rocket systems, 1,177 air defense systems, 413 airplanes, 336 helicopters, 39,019 drones, 28 ships and boats, and one submarine. Read also: Putin's 'disregard' for troops highlighted as Russian losses approach 1 million, CSIS report shows We've been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
New York Post
17 hours ago
- Politics
- New York Post
Nearly 1 million Russian troops killed or injured in meat grinder Ukraine war: study
Russia's invasion force is expected to suffer more than 1 million casualties by the summer as a result of the Ukraine war, with around 250,000 troops already confirmed dead, according to a new study. The Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), a Washington-based think tank, found that despite Russian President Vladimir Putin's boasts that he is winning the war, 'Russia has largely failed to achieve its primary objectives and has suffered high costs.' 'Russia will likely hit the 1 million casualty mark in the summer of 2025 — a stunning and grizzly milestone,' the CSIS concluded in their Tuesday report. 4 The Russian military is expected to suffer 1 million casualties by the summer. Sputnik via AP 4 Ukraine has been able to slow Russia's invasion force to a near halt across the frontlines, according to the Center for Strategic and International Studies. REUTERS The invasion of Ukraine has effectively served as a meat grinder for Russia's forces over the last three years, with the cost of life showing 'Putin's blatant disregard for his soldiers,' the analysts said. The death toll alone currently stands as five times as many deaths as all Soviet and Russian wars combined since World War II. The fighting has also taken its toll on Ukraine, with about 60,000 to 100,000 soldiers believed to have been killed since the Russian invasion started in February 2022, according to the CSIS. Ukraine's population, however, is about one-fourth of Russia's — meaning those casualties have also been devastating. Not only has the war claimed more Russian soldiers, but Moscow has also suffered around five times more losses in terms of military equipment losses, the study found. 4 Ukraine is estimated to have lost 60,000 to 100,000 soldiers since the war began. AFP via Getty Images Since January 2024, the CSIS confirmed that Moscow has lost 1,150 armored fighting vehicles, 3,100 infantry fighting vehicles, 300 self-propelled artillery and 1,900 tanks. 'Russia has lost substantial quantities of equipment across the land, air, and sea domains, highlighting the sharp matériel toll of its attrition campaign,' the analysts wrote. Russia's losses have been further amplified by how the war has slowed to a grind, with Moscow's soldiers making only 'marginal gains' along the frontlines since the start of 2024, according to the CSIS. 4 Ukraine has been able to utilize is arms well enough to keep their casualties and equipment losses at a fraction of what Moscow is losing. REUTERS While Moscow is estimated to be occupying 20% of Ukraine, its troops have found trouble advancing further in the face of Kyiv's defenses. In most areas along the frontlines, analysts found that Moscow is only advancing a few hundred feet per day, a rate that is 'remarkably slow' compared to the first year of the invasion. While Russia and Ukraine do not publicly announce their losses, the CSIS's estimates fall in line with the figures produced by other experts in the US and UK. The report comes after Moscow suffered its latest high-level loss over the weekend during Ukraine's Operation Spider Web' attack on Russian air bases. The attack saw Kyiv deploy 117 drones to attack five Russian military bases, striking 41 Russian warplanes and causing an eye-watering $7 billion in damage, Ukrainian officials said.
