Russia’s State Statistics Service has excluded the total number of deaths from external causes in its annual report, which has raised concerns about transparency in the country. This exclusion includes deaths caused by road accidents, homicides, and suicides, making it difficult to accurately track certain statistics related to the invasion of Ukraine.
Independent media outlets such as Meduza and Mediazona have been utilizing alternative data sources to estimate Russian military losses in Ukraine, as the Kremlin has refused to disclose this information. Their latest estimates suggest a significant increase in male mortality rates compared to previous years, with potentially over 120,000 Russian military personnel being casualties of the war.
These findings are corroborated by President Zelensky’s report of 180,000 Russian troops killed since the conflict began. Western officials, including U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, have also provided similar estimates, indicating a high toll on Russian forces during the ongoing conflict.
As Russian losses in Ukraine hit 500,000, Putin buries future demographic risks at home
Ukraine’s General Staff reports over half a million Russian soldiers killed or wounded in the prolonged war, aligning with international estimates of Russian losses. The implications of such high casualties on Russia’s future demographics are significant.