Jens Asbjørn Bøgen
Russia is already estimated to have lost more than 1.35 million personnel during the war.
When nations go to war, the cost is often measured in maps, borders, and empty fields.
But the truest and heaviest price of any military advance is always paid in human lives.
That is especially true in the case of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, as total Russian casualties during the war are estimated to have exceeded 1.35 million personnel as of May 22.
But if Putin plans to keep fighting in Ukraine, he should be prepared to see those numbers skyrocket.
Measuring the cost
According to Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, Kyiv now aims to inflict up to 200 casualties on Russian troops for every single square kilometer they manage to capture.
The minister revealed this goal during a closed-door briefing on May 16, The Kyiv Independent reports.
The announcement follows a rare bright spot for Ukrainian forces, which briefly retook more territory than they lost for the first time in nearly ten months.
“The situation on the ground confirms that Ukraine has succeeded in significantly slowing the enemy’s advance and is gradually regaining the initiative,” Fedorov said.
The price of land has skyrocketed for Moscow. In October, Russia lost 67 soldiers per square kilometer, but that number jumped to 254 by March. Even with a slight dip to 179 in April, the human toll remains devastating.
Staggering loss rates
Every inch of mud comes with a massive butcher’s bill. Fedorov pointed out that more than 35,000 Russian troops were killed or wounded in April alone, matching similarly bloody peaks from previous winter months.
The long-term math is even more severe. Russia has already lost 141,500 personnel since the start of 2026, with more than 83,000 killed, Ukraine’s Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi stated on May 20.
This data highlights a strange shift in modern warfare, where deaths outnumber injuries. President Volodymyr Zelensky previously stated that “out of 100% of losses, 62% are killed and 38% wounded” based on intelligence reviews. Syrskyi’s latest numbers show a similar 58% to 42% split.
Citing operational secrecy, the Ukrainian military has not published loss figures during the Russian invasion. However, external experts estimate that total Ukrainian casualties reached between 500,000 and 600,000 by late 2025, according to a CSIS report.
20% of Ukraine’s territory
Following the launch of the invasion in February 2022, Russian forces managed to take control of roughly 27% of Ukraine’s territory.
Ukraine launched a counteroffensive in late 2022 and managed to retake a large portion of the Russian-controlled territory, but Russia is still estimated to control approximately 20% of Ukraine’s territory.
Ukraine covers an area of 603,628 square kilometers, making it the largest country in Europe by land area.
Sources: Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov press briefing, Ukraine’s General Staff, CSIS report, The Kyiv Independent
