Summary and Key Points: On February 24, 2022, the Russian military invaded Ukraine, expecting a swift campaign. However, over two years later, Russia has struggled significantly, failing to achieve its primary objectives such as capturing Kyiv. The Russian military has been plagued by incompetence, logistical issues, and poor training.

-Ukrainian resistance and accurate targeting have resulted in massive Russian casualties, estimated between 300,000 to 500,000 personnel.

-Material losses have also been substantial, with thousands of tanks, vehicles, and aircraft destroyed. Despite these losses, the Russian military continues to face significant challenges in Ukraine.

The Russian Military's Losses in Ukraine are Just Awful

On February 24, 2022, the Russian military invaded Ukraine. Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Kremlin advisers expected a short and sweet campaign that would last anywhere from three days to a couple of weeks. Ukrainian resistance was expected to be symbolic once the Russian military’s heavy assets rolled into the country. 

How wrong they were. 

More than two years later, the Russian military is struggling in Ukraine. Its situation might be better than it was this time last year, but it is far from achieving any of its primary war objectives – namely, to capture Kyiv and overthrow the Ukrainian government.

The war has shown the Russian military to be incompetent, with serious logistical issues and a lack of training. There are exceptions to this assessment, but this is the overall picture. 

Beyond the failure to achieve its operational objectives, perhaps there is no better way to visualize the poor state of the Russian military than by its casualties. With a World War Two mentality carrying the day, Russian generals have sent wave after wave of Russian troops to their demise.

Up to Half A Million Losses in Ukraine War 

Since the first days of the war, the Ukrainian military has been releasing daily figures of estimated Russian losses. These figures have proven to be fairly accurate in some regards, and less accurate in others.

According to the latest data released by the Ukrainian military, the Russian forces have lost approximately 507,650 men killed, wounded, and captured in the fighting. That is an astounding figure and almost twice the size of the original invading force. The latest Western intelligence estimates on Russian casualties aren’t that off from the Ukrainian numbers and put Russian troop casualties in the high 300,000s. 

In terms of materiel losses, according to the Ukrainian military, the Russian forces have lost approximately 15,000 infantry fighting vehicles and armored personnel carriers; 17,900 tactical vehicles and fuel tanks; 14,200 artillery pieces and multiple launch rocket systems; 10,590 unmanned aerial systems; 7,730 main battle tanks; 2,165 special equipment platforms; 815 air defense weapons systems; 357 fixed-wing fighter, attack, and bomber jets; 326 attack and transport helicopters; and 28 surface warships and submarines. In total, Kyiv claims to have destroyed or damaged around 69,000 pieces of heavy equipment. That is quite a high number, but it is likely not that accurate. 

For example, in a recent event, the top U.S. general in Europe and the commander of all NATO forces assessed that the Russian military has lost approximately 2,000 main battle tanks. To be sure, the Ukrainians have much better tactical visibility of what is going on and how many casualties the Russians are suffering, but they are likely bolstering some of the claims for psychological purposes. 

Regardless of the source, one thing is clear: The Russian military has suffered enormous casualties and has little to show for it.

About the Author 

Stavros Atlamazoglou is a seasoned defense journalist specializing in special operations and a Hellenic Army veteran (national service with the 575th Marine Battalion and Army HQ). He holds a BA from the Johns Hopkins University and an MA from the Johns Hopkins’ School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS). His work has been featured in Business Insider, Sandboxx, and SOFREP.

All images are Creative Commons.