More than 70,000 troops fighting in Russia’s military have died during the country's brutal war against Ukraine, marking a devastating milestone for the Putin regime. This figure, reported by the BBC and corroborated by the independent outlet Mediazona, indicates the staggering cost of the conflict and reveals shocking trends about the profile of those being killed. What’s more alarming is the rising number of civilian volunteers, who now make up the majority of battlefield fatalities.
A detailed analysis from BBC Russian and Mediazona highlights how volunteers, or civilians who willingly joined the armed forces after the war's start, comprise about 20% of confirmed deaths—roughly 13,781 out of 70,112 named casualties. This percentage surpasses previous figures for former prisoners, who were recruited under the promise of amnesty for fighting. Until now, such individuals constituted about 19% of all reported fatalities.
Weekly death tolls of volunteers have been consistently grim, with no fewer than 100 fatalities each week since October 2022, and some weeks seeing the loss of more than 310 volunteer fighters. This reliance on volunteers showcases not only the Russian military's significant needs but also the desperation faced by many young men from small towns across the country, where job opportunities are scarce, and wages are lackluster.
The story of Rinat Khusniyarov, who joined the forces at the age of 62 after struggling to make ends meet with two jobs, reflects the grim realities faced by many volunteers. He was killed just two months after volunteering, leaving behind the legacy of being “a hardworking, decent man,” according to his obituary. Khusniyarov’s tragic fate echoes the plight of many males aged between 42 and 50, who are the majority among volunteer casualties. Surprisingly, the oldest known volunteer killed was aged 71, illuminating the broad age-range of those drawn to serve.
The Russian military’s persistent manpower problems have led to increasingly desperate recruitment tactics, emphasizing the active call for volunteers alongside the continual invitation for citizens to join. This recruitment appeal has been intensified by local officials across various Russian regions, pushing job vacancies on local platforms, seeking out individuals with financial problems, and even targeting students at universities.
Military compensation packages are also enticing. Many recruits are lured by salaries considerably higher than the average income for their regions—some reporting pay as much as five to seven times their regular wages. This financial incentive often reverses many young men’s initial reluctance to fight. While some despairing individuals joined under compulsion, many more took up the offer without fully grasping the binding nature of the contracts they signed—often with no clear end date.
Despite the high stakes involved, recruitment does not come without its faults. Many of the fresh volunteers have voiced concerns about the inadequate training they received prior to deployment, frequently reported as little more than two weeks before they were sent to the front lines. The conditions on these tours are frequently described as dire, with volunteers recounting experiences of being equipped poorly and poorly prepared for the challenges they face.
One soldier disclosed to the BBC how he had barely received any effective training. Instead of preparation drills, they were hurriedly assembled and sent directly to the battlefield without proper military modus operandi, leaving many unprepared for the brutal realities of armed conflict. He pointed out the shortcomings of their equipment, which ranged from equipment made decades ago to standard supplies produced without adequate quality control.
But it isn’t only Russians suffering the bitter realities of this war. A growing number of foreign nationals have also found themselves representing the Russian military, with reports confirming the identities of at least 272 foreign volunteers who died, mostly hailing from Central Asian countries such as Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Kyrgyzstan. Many of these foreign recruits had initially settled and worked various jobs within Russia before being tempted by promises of financial security and citizenship upon their survival.
Despite appeals from their home governments—including India and Nepal—to cease sending their citizens to the Ukrainian conflict, the Kremlin remains unmoved, indicating its increasing reliance on diverse sources of manpower.
Ukraine has been less forthcoming about its military losses; President Volodymyr Zelensky previously reported 31,000 Ukrainian soldiers lost, yet U.S. intelligence estimates point to even higher numbers. This secrecy emphasizes the war's intensity and highlights the desperate maneuvers both sides are willing to employ as they strive for territorial gains.
Meanwhile, the term “meat grinder” has become emblematic of Russia's approach toward its military tactics, with reports of waves upon waves of poorly supported soldiers sent against Ukrainian defenses. This has often resulted not only in immense casualties but marked failures to capture key strategic locations such as Chasiv Yar and Pokrovsk, where the Russian military has faced significant pushback.
The overwhelming casualty figures and the deeply troubling recruitment practices paint a grim picture of the Russian military's current strategy under Vladimir Putin. Despite previous assessments of Russian forces being severely depleted and poorly run, the reality is more complex—Russia remains persistent, and the conflict has cemented the notion of Russia as still being capable of projecting considerable military power.
Internationally, Western concerns continue, noting how Russia is ramping up its military size with plans to recruit around 180,000 additional troops, signaling not only the conflict's persistence but also Russia's determination to maintain military continuity against Ukraine. The sheer mass of manpower at Russia’s disposal casts doubt on expectations of their imminent defeat.
Despite public assumptions about Russia's weakening grip, analysts caution against underestimations of Moscow's military resolve and operational strategy. With some experts arguing about the Kremlin's impressively agile military strategies compared to its earlier assumptions, global interpretations of Russia's condition might benefit from skepticism toward the narrative of its decline.
Whether through recruiting disillusioned citizens through financial incentives, leveraging foreign volunteers, or adapting failure-prone strategies like the meat grinder, Russia continues to show a chilling resilience as it endeavors to seize more control over the conflict and safeguard its regional interests against Ukraine.
