Jens Asbjørn Bøgen
Russia is estimated to have lost more than 1.5 million personnel during the war.
Russia has just suffered its deadliest day on the battlefield since launching its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
According to UK Defence Intelligence, more than 2,000 soldiers were killed or wounded in a single 24-hour period.
The updated figures come directly from data released by Ukraine’s General Staff. On September 28, Moscow logged 2,090 casualties as intense fighting flared across eastern strongholds.
It is not an isolated spike either. While three other days in 2024 breached the 2,000 mark, recent weeks have seen relentless losses.
Just two weeks earlier, on September 16, 2026, losses hit 1,960 troops.
British officials pointed to heavy combat near the Ukrainian town of Dobropillia to explain the surge.
UK intelligence stated that “The casualty rate has remained high since the summer, highly likely as Russia maintains its intensity in the fortress belt region, particularly in the vicinity of the Ukrainian stronghold of Dobropillia.”
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Historic losses mount
Overall military estimates paint a stark picture of the ongoing war. Ukrainian military figures place total Russian personnel losses at roughly 1.5 million since the invasion began.
That staggering tally makes this the costliest conflict for Moscow since World War II. The total surpasses all combined losses from every Soviet and Russian war fought in the second half of the 20th century.
To put that in perspective, Ukrainian calculations suggest current losses are roughly 100 times higher than Soviet casualties during the decade-long war in Afghanistan. They are also about 125 times higher than Russia’s official losses in the Chechen wars.
Trouble in ranks
Beyond official casualty tallies, internal documents point to growing chaos inside front-line units.
Leaked military files obtained by the group Cyber-ATESH, cited by United24 Media, reveal deep strain within Russia’s 127th Motor Rifle Division with reports of breakdown in discipline, rising suicide rates among the troops as well as widespread absences without authorization.
When paired with battlefield reports, these records suggest official loss counts lag far behind reality. The division appears to be wrestling with severe command issues and crumbling morale.
