Media investigation identifies over 93,000 Russian soldiers killed in Ukraine
The BBC and the independent outlet Mediazona have identified the names of 93,641 Russian soldiers who have been killed during the full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Since the media outlets' last update in late-January, the names of 2,582 Russian soldiers have been added to the list of casualties.
The journalists note that the actual figures are likely significantly higher, as their verified information comes from public sources such as obituaries, posts by relatives, regional media reports, and statements from local authorities.
The confirmed death toll now includes 22,000 volunteers, 15,600 recruited prisoners, and 10,700 mobilized soldiers, according to the media outlets. Over 4,700 officers have also been confirmed to have been killed. The media also revealed that nine generals and 500 soldiers with the rank of lieutenant colonel and higher were among the killed.
The journalists note that at least 12,000 Russian soldiers are missing amid the war.
Russia has gained ground in eastern Ukraine and Kursk Oblast in recent months but at the cost of heavy casualties as well as equipment losses.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Feb. 15 during his speech at the Munich Security Conference that almost 250,000 Russian soldiers have been killed in the war, including nearly 20,000 soldiers in the battles for Russia's Kursk Oblast alone.
Moscow does not disclose its casualty figures, though a Defense Ministry official let slip in December that the department received 48,000 requests to identify missing soldiers.
In an interview with NBC published on Feb. 16, Zelensky said over 46,000 Ukrainian soldiers have been killed and 380,000 injured on the battlefield.
As of Feb. 17, Russia has lost a total of 859,920 troops since the full-scale invasion began, Ukraine's General Staff reported. The estimate, which is broadly in-line with estimates made by Western intelligence agencies, likely includes those killed, captured, wounded, and missing.
The Kyiv Independent news desk
