Estimates of Russian Military Casualties
1. Britannica (Aug 2025 Edition)
Killed: ~198,000
Injured: ~550,000
These figures were stated by Ukrainian President Zelensky in December 2024 and
are not independently verifiable.
Encyclopedia Britannica
A CSIS analysis (June 2025) projected that total Russian military deaths and
injuries would reach 1 million by summer 2025.
Encyclopedia Britannica
2. International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) via
Newsweek
At least 172,000 Russian troops killed (minimum), 611,000 wounded as of early
January 2025.
Total: 783,000 casualties minimum, with some of the wounded still
recoverable.
Broader estimates suggest total losses between 600,000 and 850,000, far below
claims of 1.5 million.
Newsweek
3. Ukraine’s Official Military Estimates
Total casualties (dead, wounded, captured) reached 850,490 by February 10,
2025.
Newsweek
In 2024 alone: about 430,790 Russian casualties (dead and wounded).
Al Jazeera
+1
4. Western and Allied Intelligence
Pentagon (Oct 2024): Over 600,000 Russian casualties (killed and
wounded).
Defense News
UK Defence Intelligence (Mar 2025):
2025 alone: ~138,000 casualties
Since the invasion began: over 920,000 total casualties.
Європейська правда
SACEUR Cavoli (April 2025): Over 790,000 killed or injured, plus 50,000
missing.
Russia Matters
+1
5. Additional Context & Analysis
Reddit/commentary includes perspectives from independent analysts:
Michael Kofman estimated 180k–220k KIA/MIA, and a similar number seriously
injured—totaling around 500k casualties.
Reddit
Mediazona and BBC Russia confirmed 47,700+ Russian soldiers killed through
open-source verification—acknowledging it to be a conservative
underestimate.
Reddit
Summary Table of Estimates
Source / Estimate Russian Military Casualties (Dead + Wounded)
IISS (early 2025) 783,000 (minimum, incl. 172k killed, 611k wounded)
CSIS Projection (Summer 2025) ~1,000,000 (estimation of cumulative
casualties)
Pentagon (Oct 2024) >600,000
UK Defence Intelligence (Mar 2025) >920,000 (total since 2022)
SACEUR Cavoli (April 2025) >790,000 killed or injured + 50,000 missing
Ukraine MOD (Feb 2025) ~850,490
Ukraine (2024 only) ~430,790
Independent Analysts (e.g. Kofman) ~500,000
Verified via Mediazona/BBC ~47,700 confirmed killed (underestimate)
Final Verdict
There is no single definitive figure, but most reputable sources converge on
a range:
Conservative estimates: 600,000–800,000 total casualties (killed and
wounded).
Higher-end and forward-looking projections: 800,000–1,000,000+ by
mid-2025.
Reports suggesting 1 million or more casualties are plausible but tend to
come from Ukrainian or allied forward projections and remain unconfirmed.