Russian military casualties in Ukraine are approaching 1 million and are likely to surpass that figure by summer 2025, according to a new report by the U.S.-based Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) published on June 3.
The think tank estimates that more than 950,000 Russian troops have been killed or wounded since the start of the full-scale invasion in February 2022.Of those, as many as 250,000 have died on the battlefield losses CSIS says underscore Russian President Vladimir Putin’s “blatant disregard” for his forces.
Despite its staggering losses, Russia continues to rely on mass wave assaults. According to CSIS, this approach has allowed Russian forces to capture less than 1% of Ukrainian territory since January 2024, often advancing by only 50 meters per day.
The cost in equipment has also been severe. According to the think tank, Russian losses across land, air, and sea domains have vastly outpaced Ukraine’s, with some battlefield loss ratios reaching 5:1.
