Ukraine's Heavy Toll: Over 45,000 Troops Lost in War with Russia

Over 45,000 Ukrainian servicemen have fallen since the war's onset, President Zelensky reports

In a revealing conversation with British journalist Piers Morgan, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky revealed astoundingly tragic statistics—over 45,100 Ukrainian soldiers have tragically lost their lives since the ruthless full-scale invasion launched by Russia commencing in February 2022.

High casualty count poses colossal challenges

The Ukrainian President also touched upon the daunting reality faced by wounded servicemen, with a staggering 390,000 instances of soldiers maimed on the battlefield. This figure, he noted, might be indicative of lesser soldiers bearing the brunt of lasting injuries, considering some might have been wounded multiple times in distinct involvements. Furthermore, he mentioned a noteworthy fact realized through past statements—the valorous half of the soldiers recuperate and return to their battlefield duties post-injury.

Zelensky's frank disclosure comes off as a seldom gesture by a Ukrainian official, illuminating the reality of the toll inflicted upon their fighting regime.

The uncertainty of Prisoners of War and Missing in Action

The Ukrainian President had previously unveiled casualty figures in December 2024. He stated that Ukraine had suffered an immense loss of 43,000 servicemen, supplementing this with 370,000 incidents of medical support for the wounded. Despite this breakdown, a cloud of uncertainty hangs over the precise numbers of those held as prisoners and those classified as missing in action. Zelensky expressed his unacquainted state with these specifics but assured continuing endeavors for obtaining clarity.

Russia's supposed death toll overshadows Ukraine's, Zelensky declares

Amid the grim revelations, President Zelensky paralleled Ukraine's count with Russia's alleged numbers. He shared an estimated figure asserting nearly 350,000 Russian soldiers have fallen, supplemented by the occurrence of 600,000 to 700,000 wounded soldiers on the battlefield.

Echoing these alarming numbers, Ukraine's General Staff estimates Russia's overall troop losses to be approximately 842,930 since the conflict's onset. While these figures have been matched to Western intelligence predictions, there is some ambiguity about whether they encompass deceased, wounded, captured, or missing personnel.

Engaging international troops for reinforcement

In the shadows of these figures, Russia has maintained secrecy over its casualty figures. However, an inadvertent comment by a Defense Ministry official pointed towards nearly 48,000 applications to identify missing soldiers.

Attempting to alleviate the casualty count among its citizens, Russia has sought reinforcement from foreign troops. A strategic exclusive relationship with North Korea has seen Pyongyang reportedly deploy between 10,000-12,000 soldiers to aid Russia in the war efforts against Ukraine.

Information advanced by Ukraine's military intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov, however, differs from a claim made by a Special Operations Forces spokesperson who corroborated a report from The New York Times that North Korean troops had been withdrawn from the front for three weeks. Budanov refuted this, indicating that while the presence of North Korean troops had indeed reduced, investigations are ongoing to ascertain the cause.