The Economist draws the world's attention to the fact that the summer offensive of the Russian invaders in Ukraine was not just a failure, but also catastrophic for the Russian army. What is important to understand is that in a matter of months it lost up to 100 thousand soldiers killed.
Points of attention
- The meager achievements of the Russian army on the battlefield indicate the aggressor's exhaustion of strength and ideas, leading experts to question Putin's ability to secure a strategic breakthrough in the war.
- Experts emphasize the need to shift perspectives on the conflict in Ukraine, highlighting the significant challenges faced by Russia and the limitations it faces in achieving military success.
The colossal losses of the Russian army exceed all limits
As analysts note, Ukraine's allies are often concerned that the Armed Forces of Ukraine lack manpower, and the Russian invaders do not stop their assaults.
However, experts are calling on the world to look at this situation from a different perspective.
More striking is how little territory Russia has captured in its third and largest offensive; and the terrible price it has paid in men and materials. Unless something changes dramatically, Vladimir Putin will not be able to win the war on the battlefield.
The meager achievements of the Russian army on the battlefield, for which it is paying a shocking price, indicate that the aggressor has exhausted its strength and ideas.
Against this background, analysts examined 200 credible estimates of Russian losses from Western governments and independent researchers.
Combining these data showed that from the beginning of the full-scale invasion until January 2025, the total losses of the Russians amounted to between 640 thousand and 877 thousand soldiers, of whom between 137 thousand and 228 thousand died. By October 13, this number had increased by almost 60% and amounted to between 984 thousand and 1 million 438 thousand, of whom 190–480 thousand died.
As for Ukrainian casualties, the UALosses website counted 77,403 deaths among Ukrainian soldiers throughout the full-scale war, as well as another 77,842 missing.
