Ukraine Confirms 31,000 Troop Deaths in Two Years of Russian Invasion
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy revealed on Sunday that 31,000 Ukrainian soldiers have lost their lives since Russia initiated its full-scale invasion two years ago. Zelenskyy emphasized that this number significantly contrasts with the misleading figures presented by Russian President Vladimir Putin’s government. Speaking at the “Ukraine. Year 2024” forum in Kyiv, Zelenskyy expressed the gravity of each loss as a significant sacrifice for Ukraine. While he confirmed the death toll, he refrained from disclosing the number of wounded or missing troops, noting that tens of thousands of civilians in occupied regions have also perished, with exact figures to be determined after the war concludes.
As Zelenskyy disclosed these casualties, it marked the first time Kyiv officially confirmed the extent of its losses since the beginning of Russia’s large-scale assault on February 24, 2022. Russia, in contrast, has been reluctant to provide official figures on its military casualties. The latest data from Russia’s Defense Ministry, as of January 2023, reported just over 6,000 deaths, while U.S. and U.K. officials suggested a considerably higher number. An unclassified U.S. intelligence report in December 2023 estimated approximately 315,000 Russian troops were killed or wounded in Ukraine, indicating a substantial toll on Moscow’s forces. Independent reports from Mediazona and Meduza revealed that Russia continues to sustain daily losses, highlighting the ongoing human cost of the conflict.
