BBC: At Minimum, 25,000 Russian Soldiers Killed in Ukraine, Actual Figure Likely Much Higher

The BBC has completed an extensive effort to get a more precise number on how many Russian soldiers have died in the invasion of Ukraine. Russia’s most recent official figure dates back to September, when the government confirmed the deaths of 5,937 servicemen.

The BBC reported that its team, working with the independent Russian media organization Mediazona, and a team of volunteers, using information from official reports, newspapers, social media, and new memorials and graves, had identified more than 25,000 named individuals, setting a bare minimum for Russia’s total losses. This is the floor; there are undoubtedly Russian soldiers whose deaths have not left a paper or social-media trail for the BBC, Mediazona, or its volunteers to follow.

In February, British intelligence services estimated 40,000 to 60,000 troops had been killed.

The Ukrainian Defense Ministry estimates there are more than 200,000 Russian casualties — but this also includes the wounded.