Ukraine“>Russia
has suffered a significant number of casualties in its war with Ukraine, surpassing the losses it incurred in all conflicts since World War II combined, according to U.S. officials. The deadliest month for Russia was September, as reported by a senior U.S. defense official during a call with reporters. The official stated that Russian losses in the first year of the war exceeded the total losses of all Soviet conflicts post-World War II.However, it is important to note that casualties alone do not determine Ukraine’s success in this conflict, cautioned the official. Ukraine has also experienced mass casualties, although specific numbers have not been disclosed by the U.S.
In February, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy claimed that approximately 31,000 troops had been killed. The U.K. Ministry of Defence reported that Russia’s daily casualty count reached 1,271 in September and estimated that around 648,000 Russians have been killed or injured throughout the war.
The U.S. military official described Russia’s approach to warfare as one where they continue to deploy large numbers of troops despite high losses. South Korea recently warned that North Korean forces are fighting alongside Russian forces in Ukraine.
Furthermore, Russia has lost a significant portion of its pre-war tank inventory and 32 medium-to-large naval vessels to Ukraine.
Russian President Vladimir Putin aims to avoid mass mobilization due to its potential impact on Russia’s domestic population; therefore he has increased pay for voluntary soldiers and maintained their deployment without resorting to major mobilization efforts.
The situation remains closely monitored by international observers as they assess how long Putin can sustain this strategy.
Ukraine’s military announced an attack on a base storing nearly 400 strike drones located in southern Russia’s Krasnodar region on Wednesday.
Russia has made progress in capturing territories within Donetsk region but faced substantial casualties for minor gains during operations around Vuhledar and Povrosk.
Heavy fighting is also ongoing in Russia’s Kursk region since Ukraine invaded it last August; however, Ukrainian troops may be able to hold onto this region for months or longer according to military officials.
Meanwhile, the United States continues providing substantial support for Ukraine’s defense efforts through financial aid packages worth billions of dollars. However, President Biden has refrained from authorizing Ukraine’s use of long-range missiles provided by the U.S., known as ATACMs (Army Tactical Missile System), against targets inside Russia due to concerns about escalation.