Ukrainian military officials have claimed that the number of Russian troops killed or wounded in Ukraine has topped 1 million.
The claim by the General Staff of the Ukrainian armed forces is in line with Western intelligence estimates.
It came on a holiday celebrating Russia’s sovereignty. President Vladimir Putin marked Russia Day by hosting a Kremlin meeting with soldiers decorated for their service in Ukraine, but neither he nor any other officials commented on the Ukrainian claim.
The UK Defense Ministry also said in a statement posted on X that Russia has suffered over 1 million casualties, including roughly 250,000 killed since it launched the full-scale invasion on Feb. 24, 2022.
On June 3, 2025, the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington disclosed that Russia likely would hit the mark of 1 million casualties this summer in what it called “a stunning and grisly milestone.”
Russia last reported its military casualties early in the war when it acknowledged that about 6,000 soldiers had been killed. Earlier this year, the General Staff of the Russian armed forces claimed that Ukrainian military losses had topped 1 million.
Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy last spoke of Ukrainian military losses in February, when he said in an interview that 45,100 troops had been killed and about 390,000 injured.
The casualty estimates came as Russian forces pummeled Ukraine with drones and other weapons, killing three people and injuring scores of others despite international pressure to accept a ceasefire.
According to the Ukrainian air force, Russia launched 63 drones and decoys at Ukraine overnight. It said that air defenses destroyed 28 drones while another 21 were jammed.
Russia has launched waves of drones and missiles in recent days, with a record bombardment of almost 500 drones on Monday and a wave of 315 drones and seven missiles overnight on Tuesday.
Ukraine responded to the Russian attacks with drone raids. Russia’s Defense Ministry said that air defenses downed 52 Ukrainian drones early today, including 41 over the Belgorod region that borders Ukraine.
Regional Governor, Vyacheslav Gladkov said a 2-year-old boy was killed Thursday in a Ukrainian drone attack, which also injured his grandmother. He previously reported three other injuries.
The recent escalation in aerial attacks has come alongside a renewed Russian battlefield push along eastern and northeastern parts of the more than 1,000-kilometer (over 600-mile) front line.
While Russian missile and drone barrage have struck regions all across Ukraine, regions along the front line have faced daily Russian attacks with short-range exploding drones and glide bombs.
Russian Defense Ministry claimed its troops captured two more villages in the Donetsk region, Oleksiivka and Petrivske. The Ukrainian military had no immediate comment on the Russian claim.
The attacks have continued despite discussions of a potential ceasefire in the war. During their June 2 talks in Istanbul, Russian and Ukrainian negotiators traded memorandums containing sharply divergent conditions that both sides see as nonstarters, making a quick deal unlikely.
Russia And Ukraine Exchange More Prisoners Of War
The only tangible outcome of the talks was an agreement to exchange prisoners of war and the bodies of fallen soldiers.
Russia and Ukraine conducted another POW swap today that included severely wounded and gravely ill captives, although the sides did not report the numbers.
“Our people are coming home. All of them require medical treatment, and they will receive the necessary help. This is already the second stage of returning those who are severely wounded and seriously ill.”
Volodymyr Zelenskyy
According to Ukraine’s Human Rights Ombudsman, Dmytro Lubinets, some of the repatriated soldiers had been listed as missing in action. He noted that the oldest among them is 59, the youngest is 22.
READ ALSO: Cedi to Remain Stable Against Major Currencies- Finance Minister Assures Ghanaians
