A new analysis by the US‑based Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) estimates that Russia’s full‑scale invasion of Ukraine has resulted in nearly two million military casualties killed, wounded or missing across both countries, marking one of the deadliest conflicts in modern history.
According to the study, Russia has suffered the heaviest losses, with up to 325,000 soldiers killed and as many as 1.2 million total casualties since the invasion began almost four years ago. CSIS noted that no major power has endured such staggering battlefield losses since World War II, even as Russian forces continue to advance only slowly.
Ukraine has also paid a devastating price. The think tank estimates 500,000 to 600,000 Ukrainian military casualties, including 100,000 to 140,000 killed, between February 2022 and December 2025. Combined losses on both sides could reach two million by spring 2026, the report warns.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in early 2025 that nearly 46,000 Ukrainian troops had been killed since the start of the war a figure analysts widely believe understates the true toll. Tens of thousands more remain missing or are believed to have been taken prisoner.
Independent investigations have also highlighted the scale of Russian losses. The BBC’s Russian service and Mediazona, using publicly available records such as death notices, have confirmed more than 163,000 Russian soldiers killed, though they acknowledge the real number is likely far higher.
The civilian toll continues to mount as well. UN monitors recorded more than 2,500 civilian deaths and over 12,000 injuries in 2025, making it the deadliest year for non‑combatants since the first year of the invasion. The UN has verified nearly 15,000 civilian deaths since 2022, but says the actual figure is “considerably higher.”
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