KEY POINTS
- The CIT research concluded that Russian families have buried up to 33,000 soldiers since February last year
- The CIT also assumed that up to 65,000 Russian soldiers have died or gone missing
- Russia’s invasion of Ukraine nears its first anniversary
As many as 270,000 Russian soldiers may have been killed or wounded in the 11 months of the war in Ukraine, according to research.
Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 and has not been forthcoming on its death toll. The New York Times, citing U.S. officials, reported last week that Russian war casualties are nearing 200,000.
The Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, on the other hand, said Tuesday that it estimates the Russian death toll to be around 133,190, including 1,030 soldiers killed over the past day.
However, analysts at the Conflict Intelligence Team (CIT) believe the number of casualties among Russian military personnel could be closer to 270,000, as per a report published Sunday.
The CIT first scrutinized media reports on the death of Russian soldiers and concluded that Russian families have buried as many as 33,000 soldiers since February of last year.
The CIT also estimated the number of Russian troops who are missing in action based on documents about the Russian 1st Tank Army, which the Armed Forces of Ukraine captured last spring. The document stated that the unit had 61 dead soldiers and 44 missing fighters.
Following the analysis, CIT assumed that as many as 65,000 Russians have either died or gone MIA in the war.
To count the number of wounded soldiers, the CIT used a ratio of 1:3 or 1:4, which means that for every soldier killed, there are three to four others who are wounded in action. This led to their overall estimate of Russian casualties which ranged from 130,000 to 270,000 killed and wounded in the war.
The reporting comes as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is nearing its first anniversary. In the 11 months of the war, Russia has mobilized hundreds of thousands of conscripts to bolster its forces in Ukraine and make good on the losses.
Russia has also authorized the deployment of the notorious Wagner Private Military Company (PMC), headed by Russian President Vladimir Putin‘s ally Yevgeny Prigozhin. The mercenary firm has reportedly recruited felons from Russian penal colonies to join the war.
