December 2024 was likely the most costly month for Russia since President Vladimir Putin launched the invasion of neighboring Ukraine almost three years ago.

At least 48,000 troops were killed or wounded last month, the sixth straight month that Russian forces suffered an increase in monthly losses on the battlefield, British defense intelligence officials said this week.

Russia sustained at least 2,200 casualties on Dec. 19, the highest record of combat losses on a single day, UK military intelligence officials said Tuesday on X in their latest assessment of the battlefield in Ukraine.

“Russia will highly likely continue to experience high casualty rates over January 2025 with continued dismounted infantry attacks on multiple axes,” British officials said.

Moscow sustained 429,660 casualties in its conflict with Ukraine last year, a dramatic increase from the 252,940 battlefield losses in 2023. Since the start of the war, more than 790,000 Russian soldiers have been killed or wounded, British officials said.

Last month, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said 43,000 Ukrainian soldiers were killed in action and 370,000 were wounded since the start of Russia’s invasion. It was the first acknowledgment by Kyiv of total casualty figures in nearly three years.

North Korean troops that have joined the fight on Russia’s side in recent weeks also have taken casualties. U.S. officials have said at least 1,000 North Korean soldiers have been killed or wounded, while Mr. Zelenskyy said recently that the toll may be nearly four times as high.

• Mike Glenn can be reached at mglenn@washingtontimes.com.