Mediazona and BBC identify names of over 258,000 Russian soldiers killed in Ukraine — more than 10,000 names added in less than two weeks

The increase is nearly double the usual pace and, as the Kyiv Independent reports, is linked mainly to a leaked list of bodies exchanged between Russia and Ukraine — the names were added only after the identities were independently confirmed through official records.

Journalists stress the real death toll is likely significantly higher, since verification relies solely on public sources: obituaries, posts by relatives, regional media reports and statements by local authorities.

According to data through September 21, Mediazona has confirmed the deaths of 7,692 Russian army officers and officers of other security agencies. The list also includes about 20,500 mobilized soldiers — a figure the outlet itself calls a clear underestimate, since recruitment details are increasingly missing from recent obituaries. The date of death is known in 241,600 cases, while data for recent months remain incomplete.

The update comes as Russia continues to suffer heavy losses: President Volodymyr Zelensky said on September 27 that Ukrainian forces had killed or wounded about 10,660 Russian soldiers over the past week, while the General Staff estimates Russian personnel losses since the start of the invasion at 1,528,970 (killed, wounded, missing and captured). Estimates vary widely and neither side publishes verifiable comprehensive figures — the Kyiv Independent itself notes it cannot independently verify Mediazona’s reporting.

This is the latest update of the long-running Mediazona and BBC investigation, which in mid-September had confirmed over 248,000 names — meaning more than 10,000 new identities have been verified in just over ten days.