Russia Has Lost Over 301,000 Soldiers in Ukraine Since the Start of 2026, General Staff Says

Ukraine’s General Staff of the Armed Forces announced on Monday, September 15, that Russian forces have suffered 301,030 casualties — killed and wounded — since the beginning of 2026. The number roughly matches the manpower of 150 motorized infantry regiments.

According to Ukrainian data, Russia is losing an average of around 30,000 soldiers per month. The summer months were particularly bloody: losses reached 124,170, while July set a record with 42,860 casualties — the highest monthly figure since the start of the full-scale invasion. August also passed the 40,000-casualty threshold, while in September alone, as of the morning of September 15, Russian forces have already lost 20,360 troops.

Russia’s total losses reached 1,500,870 on September 9. The first 500,000 casualties took about two years and three months to accumulate, while the next 500,000 accumulated in just 15 months — a clear indicator of the escalation of the war’s human cost for Moscow. According to estimates, the Kremlin’s personnel losses now exceed the combined figure of Russian and Soviet forces in all wars since the mid-twentieth century.

The Ukrainian electronic warfare operator known by the nickname “Strada” attributes these losses to Russia’s tactic of throwing infantry into waves of successive attacks. However, he emphasizes that the accumulation of losses is gradually damaging the quality and training level of Russian personnel.

Source: The Kyiv Independent