2024 marked the bloodiest year for Russian forces since the start of their invasion of Ukraine, with at least 45,287 soldiers killed. This figure is almost triple the losses in the first year of the invasion and significantly exceeds the casualties in 2023, during the battle for Bakhmut.
The data was compiled by the BBC Russian Service and Mediazona, which analyzed information from cemeteries, military memorials and obituaries. So far, the names of 106,745 Russian soldiers killed have been identified, but realistic estimates suggest the true death toll could range from 164,000 to 237,000.
The deadliest day of 2024 was February 20, when a HIMARS rocket attack on a training center in Volnovakha, Donetsk, killed 65 Russian soldiers during a medal ceremony. In total, 201 Russian soldiers were killed that day, A2 CNN reports. According to the analysis, Russia lost an average of 27 soldiers for every square kilometer of Ukrainian territory it occupied in 2024. More than 11,600 Russian soldiers were killed during the slow offensive in the east alone, from September to November.
Despite heavy losses, Russia has stepped up recruitment, offering large financial rewards and including convicts who sign contracts to avoid prison. A significant proportion of the identified victims are such “volunteers,” many of whom are sent to the front with only 10 to 14 days of training.
In total, including fighters from the separatist republics, it is estimated that between 185,000 and 260,700 Russian soldiers have been killed since the start of the war. (A2 Televizion)
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