Through open-source research, Mediazona, a Russian independent media outlet, together with BBC Russia, confirmed the names of 54,185 Russian soldiers who had been killed since the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Since Mediazona's last update in mid-May, the names of 1,396 Russian soldiers have been added to the list of casualties.
The journalists note that the actual figures are likely significantly higher, as their verified information comes from public sources such as obituaries, posts by relatives, regional media reports, and statements from local authorities.
On May 25, the total number of Russian losses surpassed 500,000 military personnel according to Ukrainian estimates. The numbers are seemingly in line with the estimates of the U.K. and France, which said earlier in May that the overall Russian losses are set to be around 500,000, including 150,000 deaths.
President Volodymyr Zelensky also claimed in February 2024 that 180,000 Russians had been killed in the war. He added that 31,000 Ukrainian soldiers have also been killed. Zelensky said that the exact number is unknown, and it would only be possible to find out once the territories occupied by Russia were liberated.
Since Russia began its all-out war against Ukraine, over 3,500 officers, with 414 holding the rank of Lieutenant Colonel or higher have been killed in combat in Ukraine.
To date, Lieutenant General Oleg Tsokov, Russia's deputy commander of the Southern Military District, is the highest-ranking Russian military official to have been killed during the war.
The analysts note that at least 10,996 Russian inmates have been killed on the frontline.
According to Mediazona's estimates, a majority of those killed in action come from Rostov, Sverdlovsk, Bashkiria, and Chelyabinsk oblasts, as well as the Buryatia republic.
As of May 28, 2024, the Ukrainian military estimates Russian combat losses at 503,800 troops.
Chris York
