Putin claims Russia has almost 700,000 soldiers fighting in Ukraine

Almost 700,000 Russian troops are fighting in Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on June 14 while speaking at a public event with Russian military personnel.

Putin claimed in December 2023 that there were 617,000 military personnel fighting in Ukraine.

Andrii Yusov, the spokesperson of Ukraine's military intelligence agency, responded on Dec. 15 that the true number was around 450,000 and that Russia is exaggerating the figures to "increase information pressure on our country."

Reuters reported in December, citing a declassified U.S. intelligence report, that Russia had lost 315,000 troops in Ukraine since the start of the full-scale invasion, representing nearly 90% of the military personnel it had in February 2022.

According to Ukrainian figures, over 500,000 Russian troops have now been killed, injured, or captured fighting in Ukraine.

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Editor’s Note: This story was produced in collaboration with the Organized Crime and Corruption and Reporting Project (OCCRP) and is published by both organizations. The story is based on the Kyiv Independent’s latest investigative documentary, “He Came Back.” The day after Russia launched its full…

The Kyiv IndependentOlesia Bida