Independent Russian media outlet Mediazona and the BBC's Russian Service have identified by name 239,354 Russian soldiers killed since the start of the invasion in February 2022.
More than 239,000 Russian soldiers killed in Ukraine have been identified by name since the start of the invasion in February 2022, according to data released on Monday by independent Russian media outlet Mediazona and the BBC's Russian Service. As of August 13, 2026, the two media outlets had confirmed the deaths of 239,354 soldiers.
Among the identified casualties are 87,749 volunteers, 26,416 prisoners recruited from Russian prisons, 19,778 conscripts, and 7,530 officers. The full list of names, along with identification photos and a verified map of losses, is available at the link 200.zona.media.
The authors of the investigation emphasize that the actual number of deaths is likely significantly higher. The verification relies on meticulous cross-referencing of death notices, social media posts by relatives, articles in local press, and official statements.
Mediazona attributes the delay in counting to the widespread use of drones and a shift in tactics toward infiltration by small units. These factors often prevent the repatriation of bodies for extended periods, delaying identification and official registration of deaths.
The exact date of death could be determined in 221,500 cases, representing 93 percent of confirmed losses. On July 26, the BBC reported that "in the last two years, the number of military personnel whose deaths have been confirmed has not fallen below 200 per day, according to data collected from publicly available and verified sources." However, this number includes only formally identified deaths, so the actual number of losses is likely significantly higher.
Although estimates vary, independent Western assessments conclude that Russian losses far exceed those of Ukrainian forces. In late July, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky cited a figure of approximately 1.6 million Russian casualties, including wounded, and about 700,000 dead since February 24, 2022.
Zelensky also cited a figure of 50,000 Ukrainian soldiers killed and another 400,000 wounded. For its part, the General Staff of the Ukrainian Army estimated that by August 17, the Russian military had "lost" approximately 1,467,320 personnel, including dead, wounded, missing, and captured.
