Russia’s Ministry of Defence admitted to some casualties for the first time on Thursday, though rejected reports of “incalculable losses” as “disinformation”. Major General Igor Konashenkov said 498 Russian troops have been killed and a further 1,597 wounded – but a look at the latest figures emerging from Ukraine paint a very different picture.
According to data collected from the Ukrainian Ministry of Defence, the number of Russian military personnel killed is closer to 6,000.
The Ukrainian MoD published its latest data on Wednesday, March 2, with the caveat that all figures were “indicative” and “complicated by the high intensity of hostilities”.
Despite this, a clear picture is emerging, and it’s very different to the one painted by Moscow.
According to these latest statistics, a total of 5,840 Russian soldiers have been killed.
A further 200 have been captured as prisoners of war by Ukraine.
In terms of machinery losses, Ukraine said Russia has suffered a loss of 862 armoured vehicles, 355 wheeled vehicles, 211 tanks, 85 artillery, 60 fuel tanks, 40 rocket systems, 31 helicopters, 30 fixed-wing aircraft, three drones and two boats.
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These are much higher numbers than those coming out of Moscow.
Russian independent organisations that help parents find their sons have told the AFP news agency that conscripts were taking part in the conflict, having been made to sign documents before crossing the border.
But Major Konashenkov said neither conscripts nor cadets have been involved in the operation in Ukraine.
He also said that among Ukrainian troops, 2,870 have been killed, around 3,700 injured and 572 captured, but these figures could not be independently verified.
Ukraine’s State Emergency Service said that more than 2,000 civilians have died, though it was impossible to verify that claim.
The United Nations human rights office said on Thursday it had recorded the deaths of 136 civilians, including 13 children, in Ukraine since the start of Russia’s invasion.
New reports from US intelligence officials paint a stark picture for Ukraine moving forward.
The figures, seen by CNN, claim that Russia has lost between three and five percent of its tanks, aircraft, artillery and other military assets inside Ukraine – compared to Ukrainian losses of roughly 10 percent of its capabilities.
Officials caution that these rations are difficult to calculate and likely to change, as both forces are being resupplied and losses are still being incurred.
But the contrast paints a grim picture for Ukraine, as the force of Russia’s military might chip away at the country, currently propped up by its fierce defiance in the face of its invader and garnering worldwide admiration.
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The unexpectedly strong Ukrainian resistance up to this point has kept major cities out of Russian hands, but analysts expect the nation will eventually be overwhelmed as Russia launches an intensified and less discriminate phase of its assault.
According to US officials, Russia will now begin changing tactics to a strategy of “slow annihilation” as it becomes clear that Kyiv won’t fall as easily as Moscow hoped.
They anticipate continued heavy weapons bombardment and the possibility that “tens of thousands” of troops will march on major Ukrainian cities.
At the end of February, President Joe Biden instructed the US State Department to release an additional $350million (£260million) worth of weapons from US stocks to Ukraine.
The Pentagon said the weapons included anti-armour, small arms, body armour and various munitions in support of Ukraine’s front-line defenders.
A State Department spokesperson said anti-aircraft systems were also included in the material.
Ukraine has been asking for Javelin anti-tank weapons and Stinger missiles to shoot down aircraft.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told CNN on Tuesday: “I’ve spoken to Biden many times, and I’ve told them many times that Ukraine will resist and fight stronger than anyone else but on our own against Russia we won’t manage it.”