Illustrative photo from open sources
Journalists of the Russian service of the BBC and "Mediazona" by April 19, they were able to confirm by name the deaths of 51,096 Russian military personnel in the war in Ukraine. These are only those whose deaths were found out from open sources. The real number of losses may be much higher, the researchers note.
Over the week since the previous report, 625 names have been added to the list of dead.
As Radio Liberty reports, the largest share of deaths occurred among prisoners (18% of the total, or 9,372 people). The Russian army continues to actively use detachments formed from convicts to storm Ukrainian positions in the most difficult sectors of the front. 13% – volunteers who went to the front, another 12% – mobilized.
Journalists claim that at least 43% of all those killed were not career military personnel or otherwise associated with the army at the time the Russian invasion of Ukraine began.
"Mediazone" and the BBC, together with a team of volunteers, are maintaining a list of the dead based on data from open sources. These are media reports, local administrations, publications on social networks and data from cemeteries. At the same time, journalists clarify, not all names are included in open sources. The media and regional authorities do not name all the dead, even if the "cargo 200" had already been delivered to the region, and the body of the deceased was buried.
Having studied the situation in cemeteries in 70 settlements in different regions of Russia, they came to the conclusion that the real number of deaths could be twice as high.
Recently, investigators have begun to use another method of estimating excess male mortality, based on probate registry data. This method of calculation produces a figure of approximately 85 thousand Russians killed since the start of the war in Ukraine in February 2022.
Ukraine and Russia rarely publish official data on their losses.
BAGNETreminds that Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky, at a press conference on February 25, for the first time revealed the losses of the Ukrainian army in the war with Russia. According to him, 31 thousand Ukrainian soldiers died. It is unknown whether we were talking only about the army or about all armed units controlled by the command of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu stated in December 2023 that the Ukrainian army lost 383 thousand people killed and wounded. Moscow itself does not disclose its losses in the war. According to Zelensky, the Russian army lost 500 thousand people killed and wounded. Parties to military conflicts tend to downplay their losses and exaggerate losses.
Prepared by: Sergey Daga