Between 200,000 and 250,000 Russian soldiers have died in the war unleashed by Russia against Ukraine and ongoing since February 24, 2022. This is the estimate of British intelligence, which believes that the Russian army has recorded 900,000 casualties, including dead and wounded, in clashes with Ukrainian military personnel. This is the worst death toll for Russia since World War II.
British intelligence therefore points out that Russian President Vladimir Putin and his military leadership prioritize achieving objectives over the lives of their soldiers. It is therefore underlined that “Putin and his military leadership recognize a lower value for the lives of those belonging to Russia’s ethnic minorities and those living in the poorest regions”.
For example, British intelligence notes, “Russians living in urban centers such as Moscow and St. Petersburg have contributed disproportionately less to the conflict than their poorer and ethnic minority compatriots.”