2024-02-21 20:05:00
The number of victims will be much higher 45,000 dead identified: Russia is paying a heavy toll in blood
February 21, 2024, 9:05 p.m. Listen to article
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Russia is stonewalling when it comes to releasing the numbers on injured and killed soldiers. However, there are numerous public sources that allow conclusions to be drawn. The media looks at them and can prove the deaths of more than 45,000 soldiers. Several thousand lost their lives just to conquer Avdiivka.
According to a media investigation, at least 45,000 Russian soldiers have died in Ukraine since the Russian war of aggression began in February 2022. The BBC’s Russian service and the Russian media company Mediazona, together with “a team of volunteers, managed to identify the names of 45,123 Russian soldiers who have died in the war in Ukraine since February 2022,” according to a media report .
Between October 2023 and February 2024 alone, more than 6,600 soldiers are said to have died. During this time, among other things, the heavy fighting for the city of Avdiivka in eastern Ukraine took place. The Russian troops were able to conquer them a few days ago after the Ukrainian military withdrew from there due to a lack of ammunition. According to US information, 13,000 Russian soldiers were killed or injured near Avdiivka between October and December alone. According to the information, a total of 16,000 Russian soldiers died in Ukraine in 2022. In 2023 there were almost 28,000.
The number only contains the names of soldiers “who were recorded in publicly available data – mainly obituaries,” it said. The actual number of deaths could therefore be twice as high.
Russian volunteers are getting younger and younger
Two-thirds of the identified dead had no connection to the army before the invasion, the media said. The Russian service told the BBC that they were volunteers, mobilized people, prisoners and recruits from private companies. In addition, the volunteers are getting younger and younger. According to the analyses, in 2022 the majority of them were still older than 40 years. Meanwhile, more and more younger men were volunteering to fight. In 2023 it is documented that 64 Russian soldiers killed were only 18 years old at the time of their enlistment. In the spring of 2023, the Duma passed a law that allows 18-year-old graduates to sign contracts with the Ministry of Defense.
The war in Ukraine has now lasted two years. The number of deaths is a sensitive issue – neither side releases official figures. Western estimates put up to 200,000 injured and killed in Russian fighting since February 2022. Analysts believe there are tens of thousands of casualties in the Ukrainian army as well.
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