Asger Risom
In an unusual slip during a CNN interview, Russia’s ambassador to the UK revealed just how deeply the Ukraine war is straining Moscow’s military and economy.
During a televised interview with CNN, Russia’s ambassador to the United Kingdom, Andrei Kelin, acknowledged that roughly 600,000 Russian soldiers are currently engaged in Ukraine — an admission that inadvertently confirmed the staggering human toll of the war.
The figure, cited by Kelin as a rebuttal to Ukraine’s claim of over one million Russian casualties, closely aligns with earlier Russian statements, despite being slightly down from the 700,000 President Vladimir Putin cited in mid-2024.
As reported by Digi24, Kelin also claimed that 50,000 to 60,000 new recruits join the military each month.
Vanishing Soldiers, Ballooning Costs
Despite ongoing recruitment, the number of deployed troops appears to be shrinking.
Ukraine’s General Staff estimates that over 217,000 Russian soldiers have been killed, wounded, or gone missing just since January 2025.
Analysts believe this attrition rate, estimated at 35,000 to 45,000 per month, barely keeps pace with fresh enlistments.
George Barros of the Institute for the Study of War states that the losses are not only unsustainable but come with immense economic cost.
Daily, Russia is estimated to spend $24 million just on enlistment bonuses.
Economy Under Pressure
These military setbacks compound the strain on Russia’s already fragile wartime economy. With Western sanctions tightening and oil and gas revenues falling, experts warn that excessive spending and lenient fiscal policy could push the economy toward overheating.
“Spending is out of control,” said Barros. “It’s unclear how much longer the economy can keep up.”
Kelin’s comments, intended to refute enemy estimates, have instead laid bare the immense challenges facing Moscow, on the battlefield and beyond.