A technical and accurate analysis of the Russian army’s human and material losses in Ukraine, with detailed figures and professional insights.
The trajectory of Russian military losses since 2022
Since the start of the Russian invasion in February 2022, Russian military losses have been colossal, both in terms of human lives and equipment. According to the Ukrainian Armed Forces, total losses (killed, wounded, captured, and missing) amounted to approximately 1,001,560 Russian soldiers in mid-June 2025.
The United Kingdom estimates approximately 250,000 killed and 810,000 wounded, a comparable total.
The Russian BBC and Mediazona have produced a more accurate estimate of Russian military deaths: between 189,051 and 273,073 killed by early August 2025.
Finally, the CSIS think tank anticipates that the threshold of 1 million military casualties will be reached in the summer of 2025, including approximately 250,000 confirmed deaths, and refers to the almost industrial-scale destruction of equipment.
Focus on material losses: tanks, armored vehicles, artillery, etc.
Russian military equipment has suffered heavily in this endless war. Here are the most recent figures:
- Tanks lost: more than 11,118 units destroyed or out of service as of August 18, 2025.
- Armored combat vehicles (ACVs): approximately 23,148 lost.
- Artillery systems: nearly 31,698 units destroyed, with an increase of 66 in 24 hours.
- Multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS): approximately 1,470 launchers lost.
- Anti-aircraft systems: approximately 1,208.
- Fighter jets and other aircraft: 422 aircraft lost.
- Helicopters: 340 aircraft destroyed or out of service.
- Drones – operational UAVs: an impressive 51,894 units lost.
- Cruise missiles: approximately 3,558 lost.
- Ships/boats: 28 units sunk or captured.
- Submarines: 1 unit lost.
- Light vehicles and tankers: 59,060 units out of service, +123 recently.
- Specialized equipment: approximately 3,943 lost.
Daily losses and recent trends
Daily data reveal a worrying persistence of losses. For example, on August 18, 2025, there were +890 military losses in 24 hours.
In terms of equipment, the figures for that day changed little: +0 to +209 depending on the category.
The scope of the losses
The scale of Russian army losses since 2022 is not limited to a numerical inventory. It paints a strategic picture in which each category of equipment destroyed reduces the Russian forces’ freedom of action. The loss of Russian tanks in Ukraine, estimated at more than 11,000 units, directly affects the ability to break through Ukrainian defensive lines. As tanks are the central tool of mechanized assaults, their absence forces Moscow to rely more on artillery and massive drone attacks, which are less decisive tactically.
The loss of Russian armored vehicles, exceeding 34,000 vehicles (VBCs, armored personnel carriers, and self-propelled artillery), limits the mobility of units. This attrition slows down offensives and increases logistical vulnerability: every kilometer gained on the ground now requires disproportionate efforts in terms of manpower and support.
In the air, the loss of more than 760 aircraft—including 422 combat aircraft and 340 helicopters—reduces Russia’s ability to maintain local superiority. The lack of attack helicopters in particular weakens close support, which is essential for accompanying ground troops.
Drones are another critical issue. With nearly 52,000 systems lost, Russia is seeing the erosion of a tool that has become indispensable for reconnaissance and targeting. This shortfall increases dependence on massive and less accurate missile and artillery strikes. However, more than 3,500 Russian missiles in Ukraine have already been destroyed, reducing the strategic reserve.
Thus, the material losses of the Russian army in Ukraine reflect a structural weakening which, beyond the figures, is profoundly changing the way Moscow can envisage continuing the war.
Testimonials and strategic implications
Recent data highlights the extent of the erosion of Russian capabilities. The CSIS reports that since January 2024, Russia has lost 1,900 tanks, 1,150 armored vehicles, 3,100 infantry fighting vehicles, and approximately 300 self-propelled artillery pieces. These figures illustrate a sustained rate of losses that far exceeds the annual production rates of the Russian arms industry. This asymmetry between losses and replacement capabilities is fueling a structural deficit that is forcing Moscow to adjust its doctrines of use.
The Wall Street Journal points out that this situation has forced Russia to bring equipment from its Soviet stockpiles back into service. More than 11,000 armored vehicles, including around 3,600 tanks, have already been destroyed since the start of the war. To fill the gap, Moscow is deploying obsolete models such as the T-62 and T-55, which have theoretically been obsolete for several decades. This reliance on old reserves reflects not only the difficulty of renewal, but also a loss of operational quality on the battlefield.
At the same time, human losses pose an equally strategic challenge. British and American estimates put Russian daily losses at between 1,000 and 1,200 soldiers. Such a pace makes any prolonged offensive extremely costly in terms of manpower and limits Russia’s ability to sustain a war of attrition in the long term. Combined with the scarcity of modern equipment and human attrition, these reports highlight a profound weakening of Russian military power and raise questions about its ability to maintain a high level of operational intensity.
War Wings Daily is an independant magazine.