**Russia Accidentally Admits to Staggering Troop Losses in Ukraine**
A top Russian official has inadvertently confirmed the massive number of soldiers Moscow’s forces have lost during their full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The revelation comes as Russia continues to demand that Ukraine withdraw from four partially occupied regions – Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia – as a precondition for negotiations.
According to figures from Kyiv, Russia has suffered more than 1 million dead, wounded, or missing soldiers since the start of its full-scale invasion. This staggering number was confirmed by Russian Ambassador to the U.K. Andrey Kelin in an interview with CNN, although he dismissed the 1 million figure as “exaggerated.”
However, when asked about the number of Russian soldiers fighting in Ukraine, Kelin revealed that approximately 600,000 troops were engaged in combat – a tally that matches Ukrainian estimates from January. This number is lower than the 700,000 claimed by President Vladimir Putin in June 2024 and the 617,000 he claimed in December 2023.
Kelin’s admission highlights Russia’s struggling army recruitment efforts. When asked about the number of new recruits joining the Russian military each month, Kelin replied that around 50-60,000 volunteers were signing up per month – a figure that would amount to approximately 250,000 extra troops being recruited and sent to the front since the beginning of the year.
Despite this influx of new soldiers, Ukraine’s General Staff has reported that Russia has lost over 217,440 troops since January 1, 2025. Western analysts have also estimated that Russia is losing around 35,000 to 45,000 people per month, which tallies with their recruitment efforts.
The consequences for Russia’s economy are potentially catastrophic. With the country already facing huge strain from Western sanctions and falling oil and gas revenues, the ballooning bills for sign-up bonuses could be disastrous. According to economist Janis Kluge, Russia’s daily bill just for these bonuses is a staggering $24 million.
Energy security analyst Wojciech Jakobik has warned that “the implications for Russia are grave.” Making predictions about whether or not the Russian economy will collapse is difficult, but the signs do not bode well. According to George Barros, Russia team lead at the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), “if you look at the current Russian economic indicators… government spending is out of control – it’s a very loose fiscal policy and so the economy is at risk of overheating.”
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