[Discussion] Ukraine Says Russian Troop Losses Surpass 1.5 Million Since 2022

Ukrainian General Staff Reports 1.5 Million Russian Troop Losses

Russia has lost an estimated 1,500,870 troops since beginning its full-scale invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022, according to a Sept. 9 report from the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

The total includes 1,480 Russian casualties recorded over the preceding day. Russia has not officially released comprehensive casualty figures or a casualty list.

Equipment Losses

The Ukrainian General Staff also reported that Russia has lost 12,338 tanks and 25,290 armored combat vehicles since the invasion began. Its figures include 146,008 vehicles and fuel tanks, 49,383 artillery systems, 2,105 multiple-launch rocket systems and 1,613 air-defense systems.

Reported aviation losses comprise 441 aircraft and 355 helicopters. The General Staff also listed 506,188 aerial drones, 2,534 unmanned ground systems and 5,103 cruise missiles.

At sea, Ukraine’s military estimates that Russia has lost 35 ships and boats, along with two submarines.

Estimates of Ukrainian Casualties

A January 2026 report from the Center for Strategic and International Studies estimated that Ukraine likely suffered between 500,000 and 600,000 casualties from February 2022 through December 2025. The report estimated that between 100,000 and 140,000 Ukrainian troops were killed in action during that period.

Ukrainian officials rarely disclose military casualty totals. President Volodymyr Zelensky told France TV on Feb. 4 that at least 55,000 Ukrainian soldiers had been killed in action since the start of the full-scale war. He added that many more service members remained missing in action.

Difficulties Confirming the Toll

The intensity of combat and Russian drone attacks has made it difficult for Ukraine to recover the bodies of fallen soldiers. Recovery is required before DNA testing can be used to confirm identities, complicating efforts to establish a complete count of those killed or missing.

The available Russian and Ukrainian figures come from differing official statements and estimates, with Moscow providing no comprehensive public accounting of its losses.

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