In a shocking revelation, independent Russian media outlet Mediazona disclosed that over 66,000 Russian military personnel have lost their lives in the war in Ukraine. Partnering with the BBC Russian Service, Mediazona compiled a list of known soldier deaths using open-source data, with the number increasing by more than 4,600 in just the last four weeks. Despite this, the figures are not definitive as many deaths go unreported.
The report uncovered that 172 conscripts engaged in national service have also been killed, with the highest casualties recorded in the initial months. Additionally, the region with the highest number of deaths was Bashkortostan, a southern republic with a sizable Muslim population.
Mediazona and the BBC, along with volunteers, have been meticulously tallying the deaths since February 2022, relying on a variety of sources including official reports and satellite images of Russian cemeteries. It is noteworthy that Russian authorities have been hesitant to disclose the full extent of their losses in the conflict, with President Putin stating that almost 700,000 soldiers were involved in military operations in Ukraine. On the Ukrainian side, President Zelensky confirmed the deaths of 31,000 Ukrainian soldiers in the first two years of the war.
In essence, the war in Ukraine has exacted a devastating toll on both sides, with Mediazona’s comprehensive research shedding light on the staggering human cost of the conflict.
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