During the two bloodiest years of the war against Ukraine, Russia lost 849,000 military personnel
According to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, as of June 24, 2026 – the 1,582nd day of the war – the total combat losses of the Russian army since the beginning of the full-scale invasion amount to approximately 1,395,790 people. This figure is a cumulative estimate of losses (killed, wounded, missing in action, and captured).
In preparing this material, the editorial team of the Prompolitinform portal used open data from the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and ISW – the Institute for the Study of War.
The Russian occupation army suffered its greatest losses in 2024–2025, losing a combined total of approximately 849,000 people (431,000 in 2024 and 418,000 in 2025), which accounts for about two-thirds of all Russian losses in the war with Ukraine as of the beginning of 2026. It is also worth noting that 2024 yielded more Russian losses than 2022 and 2023 combined.
The summary table of losses is as follows:
| Year of Russia’s War Against Ukraine | Russian Army Losses (estimated) |
|---|---|
| 2022 | 107,000 people |
| 2023 | 253,000 people |
| 2024 | 431,000 people |
| 2025 | 418,000 people |
| 2026 (as of June 24) | 185,260 people |
In 2022, the greatest occupier losses were recorded in November – 17,780 servicemen. The lowest monthly loss figure occurred in July 2022 – approximately 3,100 people.
In 2023, the Russian army’s greatest losses came in December – 30,290 servicemen, while the lowest losses were in November – 27,390 people.
In 2024, the highest monthly occupier losses were in December – 48,670 servicemen. The record-low losses were in November – 45,720 people.
In 2025, the highest record occupier losses were recorded in January – 49,100 servicemen. The lowest losses were in April – 40,570 people.
In 2026 (as of June 24), the Russian army’s greatest losses were in May – 43,000 people. The lowest losses were in February – 26,000 people.
If we calculate that in June the Russian army will lose soldiers at the same rate as before June 24, i.e., 1,300–1,350 losses per day, then June could end with approximately 39–41 thousand losses, becoming the second bloodiest month of 2026 for the Russian army.
Another interesting detail: in the first 175 days of 2026, Russia has already lost more people than in all of 2022 (185.3 thousand vs. 106.7 thousand). This clearly shows how much more large-scale the fighting has become and how costly the current campaign on the Pokrovsk, Toretsk, Kostyantynivka, and Sumy directions is for Russia.
If the loss rate of the first half of 2026 continues until the end of the year, the Russian army could end 2026 with personnel losses of approximately 380–390 thousand, i.e., almost on par with the record years of 2024–2025.
The Russian Army’s Greatest Losses Associated with Specific Settlements and Offensive Operations
When it comes to Russia’s greatest losses in 2024–2025, they were not linked to a single battle but to several extremely costly offensive campaigns. Characteristically, almost all of them yielded Russia only tactical successes at the cost of enormous human losses. According to ISW estimates, in 2024, Russia lost over 420,000 servicemen while capturing a relatively small territory and a few towns.
An approximate ranking of the most “expensive” Russian military campaigns in terms of personnel losses:
| Rank | Military Operation | Estimated Russian Army Losses |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Pokrovsk Direction (October 2023 – end of 2025) | 150,000 – 200,000 people |
| 2. | Battle for Bakhmut (July 2022 – May 2023) | 70,000 – 100,000 |
| 3. | Avdiivka Operation (October 2023 – February 2024) | 45,000 – 50,000 |
| 4. | Kursk Operation (August 2024 – spring 2025) | 48,000+ |
| 5. | Toretsk Direction (July 2024 – spring 2025) | 50,000+ |
| 6. | Chasiv Yar (2024–2025) | 30,000 – 50,000 |
| 7. | Vuhledar Campaign (2022–2024) | 20,000 – 40,000 |
| 8. | Vovchansk and Kharkiv Offensive (spring 2024) | 15,000 – 30,000 |
Details on the Largest Military Campaigns
1. Pokrovsk Direction – the Undisputed Leader
According to documents analyzed by ISW, the Russian troop grouping operating in the Pokrovsk direction alone lost about 96,500 people (killed, wounded, missing, and captured) in the first 8 months of 2025. This accounted for approximately one-third of all Russian losses during that period. If we add the battles of the second half of 2024 and the final months of 2025, total losses in the Pokrovsk–Myrnohrad–Selydove direction could exceed 150–200 thousand people.
2. Battle for Bakhmut
The Battle for Bakhmut, counting from the first battles on the outskirts of the city in July 2022 to the capture of Bakhmut on May 20, 2023, lasted about 10 months. That is why it is often called the longest and bloodiest battle in Europe since World War II. According to most estimates, Russian losses near Bakhmut amounted to 70–100 thousand people or more, making this campaign one of the costliest for the Russian army throughout the entire war.
3. Avdiivka
The commander of the Tavria Operational Strategic Group, Oleksandr Tarnavskyi, reported after the operation that Russian losses during the assault on Avdiivka from October 10, 2023, to February 17, 2024, amounted to about 47,000 people. This is one of the few campaigns for which there is a relatively specific official estimate.
4. Kursk Operation
According to the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Oleksandr Syrskyi, in the first six months of the operation, Russia lost over 48,000 servicemen, of which about 20,000 were killed.
5. Toretsk
Ukrainian military spokespersons in the spring of 2025 estimated Russian losses in the Toretsk direction at over 50,000 people, of which over 15,000 were killed.
6. Chasiv Yar
There is no official figure here, but based on the intensity and duration of the fighting, most analysts estimate Russian losses in the tens of thousands, approximately 30–50 thousand. This is one of the bloodiest battles after Avdiivka.
7. Vuhledar
If we count all Russian attempts to storm Vuhledar from 2022 until its capture in 2024, losses are estimated at 20–40 thousand people and hundreds of armored vehicles. It was here that Russia suffered some of its greatest armored vehicle losses of the entire war.
8. Vovchansk and the Kharkiv Offensive
The spring 2024 offensive did not achieve its strategic goal. Various estimates put Russian losses during the campaign around Vovchansk and Lyptsi at 15–30 thousand people.
The most expensive Russian operation of the entire war after Bakhmut can already be considered the campaign in the Pokrovsk direction, which in total losses has likely surpassed both Bakhmut and Avdiivka individually. Considering the statistical data on Russian losses in the war against Ukraine, experts and analysts view the battles for Bakhmut, Avdiivka, Pokrovsk, Toretsk, and the Kursk operation as key attrition campaigns that have drained the Russian army.
The trend in 2026 indicates that Ukraine’s Defense Forces are maintaining a record level of losses for the Russian army, which, at the cost of incredible human sacrifice, continues the intensity of “meat assaults.”
Editorial Board of the Prompolitinform Portal
Collage: Editorial Board
Photos from open sources
