Russian forces suffered their deadliest day since the start of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine for the second day in a row, according to figures released by Kyiv on Nov. 12
According to the General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces, Moscow's troops lost 1,950 men over the preceding day.
This surpasses the previous record of 1,770 set just the day before. The total figure stands at 712,610.
The figures do not specify killed or wounded, though the overall consensus is that it includes dead, wounded, missing, and captured. They are broadly in line with estimates from Western nations.
The surge in losses comes as Russian forces step up pressure across the front lines.
NATO allies believe that Russian President Vladimir Putin is aiming to recapture territory lost to Ukraine in Kursk Oblast before Donald Trump’s inauguration on Jan. 20.
A British defense intelligence assessment, seen by The Telegraph, warns that Russia is likely to intensify kamikaze drone attacks on Ukrainian positions, using new launch sites near the border.
Boldizsar Gyori
In a bid to regain control, Russia has deployed 50,000 troops, including soldiers from North Korea, to the Kursk region.
Ukraine's Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said that as"tens of thousands of enemy soldiers from the best Russian shock units" are aiming to push Ukrainian forces out of the Russian enclave, raising concerns of a significant escalation in the war.
In the south of Ukraine, Vladyslav Voloshyn, Ukrainian military's Southern Command spokesperson, told Reuters on Nov. 11 that Russian assaults in Zaporizhzhia Oblast could begin "any day."
In early October, Russian troops reportedly renewed their attack in the Zaporizhzhia sector. Kyiv warned of a potential Russian push in the southern region, just as Moscow's troops continue advancing in Ukraine's east.
According to Voloshyn, Russia is also deploying trained assault groups to advance in Zaporizhzhia Oblast. They are preparing to attack, he added.
"(The assaults) could begin in the near future, we're not even talking about weeks, we're expecting it to happen any day," the spokesperson said.
Ukraine's military intelligence said that Russia was planning to use armored vehicles and a significant number of drones, Voloshyn said, although it is not yet clear whether this will be a single offensive push or separate attacks.
"They are preparing both armored groups and light vehicles — buggies, motorcycles — to conduct these assault operations," he added.
And in the east of Ukraine, Russia's grinding advances continue.
Over autumn, large chunks of Ukrainian territory, sometimes including entire cities, have been lost on a near-daily basis in southern Donetsk Oblast, while Russian forces have also made operationally significant gains near Toretsk, Chasiv Yar, Kupiansk, as well as on their own soil in Kursk Oblast.
Russia's increasing pressure on Ukrainian positions is coming at a huge cost — the number of Russian troops injured and killed last month averaged 1,500 "every single day," U.K. Defence Staff Chief Admiral Anthony Radakin told the BBC on Nov. 10.
This is higher than the previous figure presented by the U.K. Defense Minister John Healey, who told The Telegraph on Nov. 8 that Russia suffered 41,980 killed and wounded during October- a daily average of 1,354.
Russia is sacrificing high numbers of troops for “tiny increments of land,” Radakin told the BBC.
However, he added that Russia is making “tactical, territorial gains,” and “putting pressure on Ukraine" amid a heavy offensive.
The Kyiv Independent news desk
