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Over 46,000 Ukrainian soldiers killed since start of Russia's full-scale war, Zelensky says

by Kateryna Hodunova February 17, 2025 9:41 AM 2 min read
Ukrainian soldiers fire D-30 artillery in the direction of Toretsk, Ukraine, on July 30, 2024. (Diego Herrera Carcedo/Anadolu via Getty Images)
This audio is created with AI assistance

Over 46,000 Ukrainian soldiers have been killed on the battlefield since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022, President Volodymyr Zelensky said in an interview with NBC published on Feb. 16.

Zelensky previously revealed the total casualty count on Feb. 4, claiming that Ukraine had lost over 45,000 soldiers.

Nearly 380,000 Ukrainian soldiers have been injured since the start of the all-out war, Zelensky told NBC. "Ten of thousands" of Ukrainian troops are currently missing in action or being held in Russian captivity, according to the president.

According to Ukraine's General Staff estimates, Russia has lost a total of 859,920 troops since the start of the war. The figures do not specify killed or wounded, though the overall consensus is that it includes dead, wounded, missing, and captured.

Moscow does not disclose its casualty figures, though a Defense Ministry official in recent months let slip that the department received 48,000 requests to identify missing soldiers.

In an attempt to mitigate casualties among Russian citizens, Moscow has also made an effort to recruit foreigners into their army.

Russia has cooperated with North Korea, with Pyongyang reportedly dispatching 10,000-12,000 soldiers to assist Russia with its war against Ukraine.

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