Russian losses in the war with Ukraine have accelerated over the past 10 months, marking the most rapid increase since the full-scale invasion began in 2022, according to a BBC analysis. This surge in casualties coincides with intensified peace efforts in 2025, driven by pressure from the US President Donald Trump administration.
The BBC, in collaboration with independent outlet Mediazona and a team of volunteers, has been meticulously documenting Russian war losses since February 2022. Their methodology involves compiling a list of named individuals whose deaths are confirmed through official reports, newspaper articles, social media posts, and visual evidence from newly established memorials and gravesites. As of the latest count, the team has verified the names of nearly 160,000 individuals killed while fighting on the Russian side in Ukraine.
Olga Ivshina of BBC News Russian explained that the team's analysis relies on publicly available information, cross-referencing various sources to ensure accuracy. "We keep a list of named individuals whose deaths we were able to confirm using official reports, newspapers, social media, and new memorials and graves," Ivshina stated.
Despite these efforts, the actual death toll is believed to be significantly higher. Military experts consulted by the BBC suggest that the analysis of cemeteries, war memorials, and obituaries likely represents only a portion of the total losses. Factors contributing to the underestimation include incomplete reporting, deliberate concealment of casualties by Russian authorities, and the challenges of accessing information from conflict zones.
The increased rate of Russian losses comes at a time when the United States is actively pushing for a negotiated resolution to the conflict. The Trump administration's involvement in peace efforts has added a new dimension to the geopolitical landscape, potentially influencing the dynamics of the war and the calculations of both Russia and Ukraine. The publication of 40 more obituaries of soldiers in Russian sources, compared to the previous year, underscores the human cost of the ongoing conflict and the growing pressure for a peaceful resolution.
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