Over the past 10 months, Russian losses in the war with Ukraine have been growing faster than any time since the start of the full-scale invasion in 2022, BBC analysis suggests. As peace efforts intensified in 2025 under pressure from US President Donald Trump's administration, 40% more obituaries of soldiers were published in Russian sources compared with the previous year.
Overall, the BBC has confirmed the names of almost 160,000 people killed fighting on Russia's side in Ukraine. The real death toll is believed to be much higher, and military experts we have consulted believe our analysis of cemeteries, war memorials, and obituaries might represent 45-65% of the total. This would put the number of Russian deaths at between 243,000 and 352,000.
Increased Russian losses are recorded with an average of 322 obituaries daily during key diplomatic moments in late 2025, indicating a potential link between fighting intensity and peace negotiation efforts. Local governments are striving to maintain recruitment levels to offset the growing casualty rates while avoiding mandatory mobilization.
The reported losses also reflect a shift in the demographic of military personnel, with a surge in volunteers signing up to fight, concluding with the heartbreaking story of Murat Mukashev, an activist who tragically lost his life during the ongoing conflict.
Overall, the BBC has confirmed the names of almost 160,000 people killed fighting on Russia's side in Ukraine. The real death toll is believed to be much higher, and military experts we have consulted believe our analysis of cemeteries, war memorials, and obituaries might represent 45-65% of the total. This would put the number of Russian deaths at between 243,000 and 352,000.
Increased Russian losses are recorded with an average of 322 obituaries daily during key diplomatic moments in late 2025, indicating a potential link between fighting intensity and peace negotiation efforts. Local governments are striving to maintain recruitment levels to offset the growing casualty rates while avoiding mandatory mobilization.
The reported losses also reflect a shift in the demographic of military personnel, with a surge in volunteers signing up to fight, concluding with the heartbreaking story of Murat Mukashev, an activist who tragically lost his life during the ongoing conflict.
