**Ukraine’s War Toll: Estimates and Reality**
As the war between Russia and Ukraine continues to rage on, estimates of the death toll have been varying widely. In a recent statement, US President Donald Trump claimed that “millions” of lives had been lost in Ukraine due to this “very bloody war.” However, calculating the total number of civilian and military deaths is complicated.
**The Numbers**
According to figures released by Kyiv, U.N. statistics, and open-source data published by Mediazona and BBC Russia, the total death toll of Ukrainian and Russian soldiers, as well as Ukrainian civilians stands at 170,521 as of June 12, 2025. This number is a minimum estimate, and the true number of Ukrainians and Russians who have been killed is almost certainly much higher.
**Russian Soldier Deaths**
Russia has lost over 1,000,000 troops in Ukraine as of June 12, 2025, according to the General Staff of Ukraine’s Armed Forces. While Ukraine’s figures do not specify killed or wounded, the overall consensus is that it includes dead, wounded, missing, and captured. For comparison, the U.K. suffered 750,000 military casualties during the six years of World War II.
**Ukrainian Soldier Deaths**
The true military death toll is the subject of intense media debate. In December 2024, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky disputed reports that as many as 80,000 Ukrainian soldiers have been killed during the full-scale war. The Wall Street Journal’s claims published in September estimated Russia’s losses at as many as to 200,000 killed and 400,000 injured.
**Ukrainian Civilian Deaths**
According to U.N. statistics, 13,134 civilian deaths have been recorded in Ukraine since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022. More than 31,867 Ukrainians were also recorded as wounded during that period. However, the U.N. figures consist mostly of Ukrainian civilians who have been killed in either areas of Ukraine under Kyiv’s control or in areas of Ukraine that were occupied, but have since been liberated.
**The Reality**
Estimations suggest that almost one in 20 fighting-age men in Ukraine have been killed or injured because of Russia’s war. The true figure is likely to be higher, considering the areas that remain under Russian occupation and the conditions imposed by occupying forces. An estimate by Human Rights Watch based on satellite images of mass graves said at least 8,000 civilians had been killed in Mariupol, but noted that the true figure was likely significantly higher.
**The Missing**
Ukraine considers 60,000 of its citizens have gone missing during the war. The missing person count does not include over 19,500 Ukrainian children forcibly deported to Russia, Belarus, or Russian-occupied territories.
In conclusion, the death toll in Ukraine’s war with Russia is complex and disputed. While some estimates suggest that millions of lives have been lost, others claim that the true figure is lower. However, one thing is clear: the human cost of this conflict has been devastating, and it will take time to fully understand its impact.
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