UK Defence Intelligence: Russia's war losses hit 1 million

Russia has suffered approximately one million casualties killed and wounded since the onset of its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

UK Defence Intelligence estimates that around 250,000 Russian soldiers have been killed or are missing, marking the highest number of Russian military losses since World War II.

In 2025 alone, Russia may have lost over 200,000 personnel, with the Ukrainian General Staff reporting an average of more than 1,250 Russian casualties daily.

UK Defence Intelligence highlights that the high number of wounded personnel, particularly those with multiple injuries, places significant strain on Russia’s military medical system, contributing to personnel shortages and logistical challenges.

Despite these losses, Russian military leadership likely persists with a strategy of mass offensives, leveraging numerical superiority to achieve tactical gains and exhaust Ukrainian defences.

The Kremlin’s senior leadership is almost certainly prepared to sustain high casualties, provided they do not trigger significant public or political backlash and as long as losses can be offset by recruitment.

A previous UK intelligence update indicated that 2025 could see record-high Russian losses in the war against Ukraine. 

UK Defence Intelligence devoted its 27 April update on the Russo-Ukrainian war to Moscow's recruitment of foreigners for the war against Ukraine.