The Russian ambassador to the United Kingdom, Andrey Kelin, has accidentally confirmed this Thursday the mass loss of troops that Moscow has suffered in the conflict against Ukraine. In one, recognize that “Around 600,000” Russian soldiers are currently deployed in Ukrainea figure that coincides with previous Ukrainian estimates and suggests that the total casualties could approach a million.
Although Kelin The official Ukrainian figure qualifies as “exaggerated” of more than one million Russian soldiers dead, injured or missing since February 2022, It does not explain why the number of active troops has decreased Despite a continuous flow of new recruits. “I am not a specialist in this field, but I understand that we have between 50,000 and 60,000 volunteers per month comethey recruit, move and would like to participate in this (in Ukraine), “he said.
The apparent contradiction between the monthly influx of troopsabout 250,000 since the beginning of 2025, and the number of active soldiers On the ground it points to alarming losses. According to the General Staff of Ukraine, Russia has lost 217,440 soldiers since January 1, 2025.
The analyst George Barrosfrom the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), reinforces this evaluation: “They lose between 35,000 and 45,000 people a month, and maybe they recruit a slightly larger figure”.
Military and economic consequences
These mass losses not only They affect Russian military capabilitiesbut they are also generating a Economic pressure growing. The economist Janis Kluge estimates that Russia spends about 24 million dollars a day Only in registration bonds for new recruits. An increasingly unsustainable load for western sanctions and the decrease in oil and gas exports.
“Public spending is out of control. It is a very lax fiscal policy, so the economy runs the risk of overheating, “Barros warns. Although it ensures that Predict an economic collapse is “extremely difficult”, warns that current signals “are not a good omen”.
For its part, the analyst Wojciech Jakobikspecialist in energy security, points out that The economic implications for Russia are seriousespecially if the war extends with the current rhythm of losses.
