Losing almost a thousand troops a day does not stop the Russians from launching massive attacks against Ukraine, the British Ministry of Defense said in a statement. intelligence dispatch on Sunday.
“Since the February 2022 invasion, Russian forces have suffered an average of 658 casualties per day,” the British Ministry of Defense said in an article on X, which compiled the number of Russian casualties and injuries.
“Each year, the daily average loss rate has increased, from 400 in 2022 to 693 in 2023, and then to 913 through the first quarter of 2024,” the message continues. “This increase reflects Russia’s continued reliance on mass to maintain pressure on Ukraine’s front lines.”
The intelligence dispatch noted that the number of daily Russian casualties decreased slightly in March. According to the British Ministry of Defense, this drop in numbers “corresponds to a decrease in the number of attacks reported over the past month.”
“The reduction in Russian offensive operations most likely reflects a series of factors: a period of rest and redevelopment after the capture of Avdiivka, and the intention to reduce death notifications during the Russian elections,” the message said.
This is not the first time that the number of Russian casualties has been in the spotlight. Russia’s reliance on the war of attrition means it has suffered significant losses since its invasion of Ukraine.
In January, a Ukrainian commander told CNN that Russia was escalating its assaults with “non-stop” attacks in human waves.
“Assault after assault, non-stop. If we kill 40 to 70 with drones in one day, the next day they renew their forces and continue attacking,” the commander said.
The voracious need for additional troops means Russia has had to call on detainees to fuel its war effort. In fact, the Russian military recruited so many prisoners that it even had to close some of its prisons to “optimize and save money.”
But the narrow focus on assembling troops for war could have long-term implications for the Russian economy. The war in Ukraine has left Russia with a severe labor shortage.
In December, the Institute of Economics of the Russian Academy of Sciences said the Russian economy was missing about 5 million workers.
“To date, Russia has most likely lost more than 355,000 people killed and wounded during the war in Ukraine,” the British Ministry of Defense said in a statement. intelligence dispatch the 3 of March.
Representatives of the Russian Defense Ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider sent outside normal business hours.
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