Summary and Key Points: The war in Ukraine, now nearing 29 months, has resulted in significant casualties for both sides, with estimates suggesting a combined total of up to 800,000 men killed, wounded, or captured. Russian forces have suffered approximately 545,000 casualties and have lost over 50,000 tactical vehicles and heavy weapon systems.

-Ukrainian losses are around 200,000.

-Artillery fire is the primary cause of casualties, with both sides engaging in intense daily artillery duels, firing thousands of rounds. Despite the high losses, both militaries continue to sustain their operations.

Ukraine War: 800,000 Casualties and Counting

The war in Ukraine is nearing 29 months of brutal fighting. Both sides have landed important victories—Ukraine more than Russia—and suffered important defeats. However, one thing that is common across the table is the high casualties the two combatants are taking. Rough estimates suggest that the total human cost of the war so far can be as high as 800,000 men killed, wounded, or captured. And at the current rate—the Russian forces are losing over 1,000 men every day—it might even exceed the 1 million mark by the end of the year.

Casualties of War in Ukraine

Close to 900 days of heavy fighting will naturally result in a very large death number. The Russian forces have suffered greatly for President Vladimir Putin’s ill-advised decision to launch a full-scale invasion of his neighbor.

According to the latest estimates coming out of Ukraine, which are largely corroborated by Western intelligence, the Russian forces have lost around 545,000 men killed, wounded, or captured. As far as materiel, the Russian forces have lost more than 50,000 tactical vehicles and heavy weapon systems, such as main battle tanks, artillery guns, infantry fighting vehicles, armored personnel carriers, aircraft, and unmanned aerial systems. To offer some perspective, the initial Russian invasion force numbered around 200,000 men. So, in more than two years of fighting, the Kremlin has lost more than twice its initial force. However, Moscow continues to generate forces at an alarming pace to sustain the fighting.

The Ukrainians are taking serious losses as well, but nowhere near to that of the Kremlin. In February, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky admitted 31,000 killed troops, while tens of additional thousands have been wounded. A more accurate assessment would put total Ukrainian losses to as many as 200,000.  

The Big Reason for Casulaties in the Ukraine War 

In terms of how these casualties happen, artillery is the main culprit. Indeed, it is estimated that artillery fire, which include rocket artillery from weapon systems like the M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) and M270 Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS), accounts for as much as 80 per cent of the casualties on both sides.

To give you a better understanding of the daily artillery duel between the two sides, on a day with heightened combat activity, the Russian forces will fire more than 20,000 artillery rounds, while the Ukrainians will respond with as many as 6,000 shells. And the two militaries are able to sustain such a rate of fire for weeks on end—the Russians more easily than the Ukrainians, who are using better artillery but still depend on Western military aid to replenish their stocks. So, we are talking about 750,000 artillery rounds on both sides every month of heavy combat. That is a lot of ordinance flying around the battlefield. In addition, a lot of it concerns special artillery rounds, like cluster munitions, which contain hundreds of bomblets, and even thermobaric rockets that can take out a whole city block in one strike.

More than 200 years ago, French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte, himself an artillery officer, said that artillery was the “King of the battle.” Although now the battlefield looks almost nothing like it did when the French warrior emperor terrorized Europe with his strategic genius, his words about the lethality of artillery evidently remain true.

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 or Shutterstock. 

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