“A waste of life”, Russia loses more troops in 1 month than USSR lost in 10 years

Finnish President Alexander Stubb addressed the UN Security Council on September 23. According to United24 Media, he stated that Russia’s eastern offensive would take years to achieve its objectives. Stubb noted that Russian forces captured roughly 900 square kilometers this year while Ukraine retook around 800 square kilometers.

The Finnish president argued that drone warfare has effectively frozen the frontline. Both sides are currently fighting across a boundary that shifts only marginally. “So the line of contact is basically not moving,” Stubb stated during his address.

Stubb warned that at this current pace, Russia would need years to seize the remaining Donetsk and Luhansk regions. He stated that approximately 25,000 soldiers are being killed every month in the conflict. He compared this to the 10-year Soviet war in Afghanistan, which resulted in roughly 18,000 total troop deaths.

Drone warfare and civilian targeting

Stubb attributed this battlefield stalemate to unmanned systems and near-constant aerial surveillance. He described sections of the frontline as “death zones” stretching roughly 20 kilometers wide. Troops and vehicles entering these exposed areas face an extremely high likelihood of destruction.

“We’re seeing unmanned vehicles, we’re seeing death zones of roughly 20 kilometers to which you cannot enter, because with a 95 percent certainty, you’re going to be wiped out,” Stubb stated. He argued this technological environment prevents both sides from achieving a decisive breakthrough despite heavy casualties. “This, in my mind, is a waste of life,” Stubb stated regarding the mounting losses.

The Finnish president accused Russia of systematically targeting civilians, infrastructure, and humanitarian operations. He claimed these tactics aim to intimidate the Ukrainian population and weaken their resistance. Stubb subsequently called for an unconditional ceasefire or limited arrangements covering energy infrastructure and grain exports.

Bilateral defense agreement and operations

Following the United Nations meeting, Stubb and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed a new defense agreement. This bilateral partnership focuses on drone technology transfers, shared expertise, and joint industrial projects. “This is not simply a contract or an agreement on the sale and purchase of drones,” Zelenskyy stated.

Finland increasingly frames its defense relationship with Ukraine as a 2-way collaborative exchange. Finnish officials seek to draw upon Ukrainian battlefield experience to develop their own military capabilities. “By learning from Ukraine’s experience, we are strengthening our own capabilities,” Stubb added.

Zelenskyy previously reported that Ukrainian forces carried out 3 major offensive operations in 2026. These maneuvers included Operation Vivaldi in the Donetsk region and Operation VELES near Kupiansk. During the Kupiansk operation, Ukrainian troops traveled over 15 kilometers underground before emerging behind Russian positions.

This article is made and published by Lauge Risom Koch, who may have used AI in the preparation