A new study by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) paints a grim picture of the war between Russia and Ukraine, estimating that total casualties on both sides have crossed the two million mark. According to researchers, Russia alone has lost approximately 450,000 soldiers killed, while its total casualties—including dead, wounded, and missing—stand at roughly 1.4 million.
1+The report describes this as one of the deadliest wars of the modern era. Researchers Seth Jones and Riley McCabe note that Russian deaths are four times higher than total American deaths in all wars since World War II, and nine times higher than Soviet and Russian deaths in all conflicts since that period. The burden falls disproportionately on poor regions and ethnic minorities in Russia, where casualty rates are especially high.
Ukraine has also suffered heavy losses. Estimates put Ukrainian casualties between 525,000 and 625,000 people, including 125,000 to 150,000 killed. Still, researchers emphasize the human cost has been higher for Russia—in the first half of this year, there were nearly eight Russian casualties for every Ukrainian casualty.
1+The report explains that rising Russian casualty rates stem partly from Ukraine’s rapidly developing drone capabilities, which have significantly expanded the strike zone around front lines and made Russian advances more difficult. Researchers also point to Moscow’s attrition strategy, failures in coordination between forces, poor training, corruption, and low morale among troops.
According to the study’s authors, the cumulative casualty toll places the Ukraine war among the deadliest conflicts in modern history—even surpassing commonly accepted estimates for the Battle of Stalingrad. Neither Russia nor Ukraine regularly publishes official casualty figures, but CSIS notes their findings generally align with assessments from Western intelligence agencies.