Russia-Ukraine War: Almost 2 Million Soldiers Killed or Wounded in Four Years

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has resulted in nearly two million military casualties across both sides since the war began in February 2022, according to a report published by a US think tank. The study estimates that combined Russian and Ukrainian losses—including soldiers killed, wounded, or missing—could reach as high as 1.8 million and may climb further in the coming months.

The report by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) said Russian forces have borne the heaviest losses. Moscow is estimated to have suffered around 1.2 million casualties, including up to 325,000 soldiers killed, since launching the invasion nearly four years ago. The think tank noted that no major power has sustained such high casualty figures in any conflict since World War II, despite Russia’s slow territorial advances.

Ukrainian forces have also faced severe losses, with the report estimating between 500,000 and 600,000 casualties from February 2022 to December 2025. Of these, between 100,000 and 140,000 Ukrainian soldiers are believed to have been killed. CSIS said the scale of losses on both sides underscores the prolonged and attritional nature of the conflict.

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In February 2025, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told a US television outlet that Ukraine had lost nearly 46,000 troops since the start of the war. Analysts, however, consider that figure to be an underestimate, noting that tens of thousands of Ukrainian soldiers are either missing or believed to have been taken prisoner.

Independent assessments have also pointed to high Russian fatalities. The BBC’s Russian service and independent outlet Mediazona, which rely on publicly available data such as death notices and court records, have confirmed more than 163,000 Russian military deaths, while cautioning that the actual toll is likely far higher.

Beyond military losses, the war has inflicted a heavy toll on civilians. United Nations monitors said 2025 recorded more civilian deaths in Ukraine than any year except 2022, with more than 2,500 civilians killed and over 12,000 wounded. The UN has verified nearly 15,000 civilian deaths since 2022, warning that the true number is likely considerably higher.

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