Mediazona, an independent Russian outlet, together with BBC Russia, has confirmed through open-source research the names of 79,819 Russian soldiers killed since the start of Russia's all-out war.
As Vladimir Putin boasted the new Oreshnik nuclear-capable intermediate-range ballistic missile, sparking renewed fears of nuclear escalation, Mediazona reported nearly 2,700 additional Russian military deaths in Ukraine over the past two weeks.
The confirmed death toll now includes 17,000 volunteers, 14,500 recruited prisoners, and 9,700 mobilized soldiers, according to the media outlets. 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 Nov. 22 report comes amid growing evidence of widespread violence within Russian military ranks. Recent incidents include the arrests of two commanders, known by the call signs Bely ("White") and Gvozd ("Nail"), for confining subordinates in dog cages and the death of pro-Kremlin American volunteer Russell Bentley in a military detention facility.
Since Russia began its full-scale on Feb. 22, 2022, over 4,364 Russian officers have been killed in combat in Ukraine.
According to figures released by Kyiv, total Russian losses in Ukraine had exceeded 700,000 as of Nov. 4, marking an increase of 100,000 in just 77 days. The figures do not distinguish between those killed, wounded, missing, or captured, though they are widely understood to encompass all categories. These numbers mostly align with estimates from Western nations.
Chris York
(Updated: )
