Russian war deaths over 25,000 according to study

RUSSIA / FSU POLITICS - In Brief 20 Jun 2023 by Alex Teddy

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On June 16 the BBC and a Russian media group called "Mediazona" published a report. They based it on media reports, social messaging posts, graves and names on memorials.  The 25,000 figure includes those fighting for Wagner Group. Some Wagner fighters are non-Russians. In September 2022 Russia said 6,000 of its soldiers had been killed in Ukraine since February 2022.  Russia seems to be conserving its professional troops. It is willing to throw away the lives of former prisoners and draftees. 2,100 officers have been killed. Most of them are junior officers, but 242 lieutenant colonels and positions above that have been killed. 159 fighter pilots have been killed. They are difficult to replace. Some men have come out of retirement to fight. A 71-year-old was the oldest killed.  In Chechnya and Afghanistan Russia seriously under-reported the death toll. The government and the Wagner Group have often been uncooperative when people try to find out what happened to their dead relatives. Relatives are often due compensation for a soldier's death but they get nothing if the government does not confirm it was a death in combat. In February 2023 the UK estimated that Russia had suffered 40,000 to 60,000 deaths. Ukraine estimates Russia has lost over 200,000 killed or wounded. The Defense Minister says he has 25 million reserves. That means males aged 18-40. So far only 0.1% of them have been proven to have been killed in the war.