Nearly two million casualties reported in Russia-Ukraine war – CSIS

Nearly two million Russian and Ukrainian soldiers have been killed or wounded since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, according to a report published by the U.S.-based Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS).

CSIS estimates total Russian casualties at up to 1.2 million, including about 325,000 killed. The estimate broadly aligns with open-source calculations by the BBC Russian Service and Mediazona, which put the number of Russian dead between 254,800 and 368,100, excluding fighters from the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Luhansk regions.

The report notes that estimating the number of wounded is significantly more difficult, as injuries are rarely reported publicly and many wounded Russian soldiers return to the фронt after treatment.

“These numbers are staggering,” CSIS said, adding that no major world power has suffered comparable losses in any conflict since World War Two.

CSIS estimates that Ukrainian forces have suffered between 500,000 and 600,000 casualties, including 100,000 to 140,000 killed.

The study said Russia has captured about 1.5% of Ukrainian territory since January 2024 and currently occupies around 20% of the country.

High casualties combined with limited territorial gains point to a weakening Russia, said Seth Jones, head of CSIS’s defense and security department.