The British Ministry of Defense reported in its intelligence update on 7 January that Russian forces sustained nearly 430,000 casualties (killed and wounded) in 2024, a significant increase compared to 252,940 casualties recorded in 2023.
The Ukrainian Ministry of Defense reported earlier that Russian occupying forces lost 430,790 troops in 2024, equivalent to nearly 36 motorized rifle divisions of the Russian ground forces. December 2024 saw the highest monthly casualties since the invasion began, with 48,670 Russian soldiers killed or wounded.
December 2024 saw an average daily casualty rate of 1,570 for Russian forces, the highest on record, according to the UK report.
The UK Defense Ministry wrote:
- Russian forces sustained 429,660 casualties (killed and wounded) in the Russia-Ukraine conflict in 2024, a notable increase from the 252,940 casualties sustained in 2023, according to Ukrainian General Staff reporting. Since the start of the conflict, Russia has likely sustained over 790,000 casualties.
- December 2024 was likely the most costly month of the war for Russia, with a total of 48,670 casualties reported by the Ukrainian General Staff. 45,680 Russian casualties were recorded in November 2024. December marked the sixth straight month of increasing monthly total losses for Russian forces.
- The average daily Russian casualties reached a new monthly war high during December 2024, with an average daily loss rate of 1,570. This was the fifth consecutive month that Russian forces sustained new record-high average daily losses. On 19 December 2024, Russian forces suffered 2,200 losses in a single day, a new high.
- Russia is highly likely to continue experiencing high casualty rates in January 2025, with continued dismounted infantry attacks on multiple axes.
Today, Ukraine’s Defense Ministry updated its estimations of the Russian losses, stating that this figure has surpassed 800,000 since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Russian losses in Ukraine surpass 800,000 troops, says General Staff
Related:
- Russian losses in Ukraine surpass 800,000 troops, says General Staff
- Frontline report: Ukrainian tanks eliminate Russian assault near Donetsk’s Terny
- ISW: Russia uses less armor on frontlines as Ukraine reports destruction of some 13,000 armored units over year
- Ukrainian intelligence eliminates Russian battalion commander in southern Ukraine (video)
- Ukrainian forces eliminate two Russian lieutenant colonels in recent Lgov attack
- Russia’s human loss/fighting area ratio exceeds all modern conflicts except Korean War