How Many Russian Soldiers Have Died in the Russo-Ukrainian Conflict: Meduza and Mediazona's Analysis

Approximately 47,000 Russian soldiers have died in the Russo-Ukrainian war, according to Meduza and Mediazona, citing results from a study assessing losses in the Russian army.

Journalists, alongside expert Dmitry Kobak, examined the records of heritage registries and Rosstat data, which have shown a sharp increase in mortality rates among young men since 2022.

“In 2022, about 25,000 people under the age of 50 died in the war, and by May 27, 2023, that number rose to around 47,000. To be as accurate as possible, the number of casualties ranges from 40,000 to 55,000 with a 95 percent probability,” the journalists note.

During the 15 months of fighting (from February 24, 2022, to the end of May 2023), three times as many Russian soldiers have died as Soviet troops did during the 10-year war in Afghanistan.

It is noteworthy that Russian authorities rarely disclose casualty figures. Last September, Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu mentioned 5,900 deaths.