From the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 to June 2026, Russian forces suffered approximately 1.4 million casualties—killed, seriously wounded, and missing. Of this number, at least 450,000 were killed, according to a new study by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS).
Analysts estimate that in the first half of 2026, Russia suffered monthly casualties of between 30,000 and 34,000, exceeding the rate of recruitment of new contract soldiers—approximately 27,000 per month. Moreover, the casualty ratio between Russia and Ukraine, according to CSIS, increased to 8:1 in the first half of 2026, compared to 2:1–3:1 for most of the war—largely due to the widespread use of drones by Ukrainian forces, including drones with artificial intelligence elements.
The death toll of Russian troops in Ukraine is already more than four times the total number of US casualties in all wars since World War II combined (approximately 100,000) and more than nine times the total losses of the Soviet Union and Russia in wars since 1945, according to the study. «Since World War II, no major power has suffered even close to such losses in any war. This leaves Russia with a grim and unprecedented historical record,» CSIS notes.
Despite the enormous losses, the Russian army command remains unable to penetrate the Ukrainian Armed Forces’ frontline defenses. According to researchers, the Russian offensive has now virtually stalled. The average rate of advance is about 50 meters per day near Kostiantynivka, 70 near Pokrovsk, and 90 near Slovyansk. These are among the slowest rates of advance in wars over the past century. In the spring of 2026, for the first time since August 2024, Russian troops lost more territory than they captured: in April and May, net losses of the Russian Armed Forces amounted to approximately 400 square kilometers. Russia currently controls approximately 118,000 square kilometers of Ukrainian territory (approximately 20% of the country), of which approximately 75,000 square kilometers were captured after February 2022.
Ukrainian forces, in turn, launched a successful campaign of strikes against Russian military and economic targets using drones and short-, medium-, and long-range missiles, including AI-enabled systems, CSIS reports. The attacks targeted not only border regions but also major cities, including Moscow and St. Petersburg. In annexed Crimea, the strikes led to the closure of beaches and camps, fuel shortages, and power outages. Furthermore, in May 2026, Vladimir Putin significantly scaled down the military parade due to fears of Ukrainian attacks.
According to CSIS estimates, Ukrainian forces lost between 525,000 and 625,000 people killed, wounded, and missing during the war, including between 125,000 and 150,000 fatalities. Combined losses on both sides exceeded 2 million.