More than 70,000 Russian military personnel have reportedly lost their lives in the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, based on analysis of recent data. This significant toll includes a disturbing trend: for the first time, volunteers—civilians who enlisted in the armed forces after the war began—comprise the largest segment of those killed in battle since Russia’s full-scale invasion commenced in 2022.
Daily, the media in Russia publishes the names, obituaries, and photographs of fallen soldiers, revealing the human cost of the war. Extensive research has been conducted to confirm the identities of those included in the reports, ensuring that each name corresponds to a soldier confirmed dead in the conflict.
Preliminary findings indicate that 70,112 Russian soldiers have been identified as casualties in Ukraine, although the true number is suspected to be much higher due to unreported fatalities and cases of militia deaths in Russian-controlled territories. Among the deceased, 13,781 were volunteers, now representing about 20% of the total. Previously, former inmates who joined in exchange for pardons were the most numerous, accounting for 19% of confirmed deaths, while mobilized soldiers make up 13%.
Since October of the previous year, volunteer fatalities have consistently exceeded 100 each week, with reports indicating some weeks have seen more than 310 volunteer deaths. In contrast, Ukraine has been reticent to disclose the scale of its own military losses, though intelligence assessments indicate they may be greater than the reported figures.
The case of Rinat Khusniyarov, a 62-year-old from Ufa, exemplifies the volunteer experience. After two months of service, he was killed in February, leaving behind a legacy remembered by those who knew him.
Analysis of enlistment patterns reveals that many volunteers hail from small towns in Russia, where opportunities for stable employment are scarce. While many joined willingly, reports from regions such as Chechnya suggest instances of coercion. Some volunteers have also reported that they misunderstood the contracts they signed, which lacked a defined end date.
Military salaries significantly exceed average wages in many regions, along with various incentives to encourage enlistment. Data indicates that the majority of volunteers who have perished in combat are between 42 and 50 years old, highlighting the risks faced by older recruits.
Russian military tactics have come under scrutiny as reports describe a “meat grinder” strategy, where waves of soldiers are sent into dangerous regions without adequate support or strategy, leading to high casualty rates. Official findings indicate that many deaths result from preventable injuries, urging improvements in medical response.
As recruitment intensifies, regional officials are employing various strategies to bolster volunteer numbers, even appealing to men with legal troubles to consider military service as an alternative to facing prosecution. Furthermore, there are reports of foreign recruits being drawn from various countries, raising international concerns about the treatment of their citizens sent into the conflict.
The ongoing critique of military training reveals a consistent pattern of inadequacies, with many new recruits reporting insufficient preparation for frontline combat. Equipment quality has also been a significant point of contention, with calls for better provision to ensure the safety and effectiveness of those deployed.
