If Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense is accurate and Russia is losing 300 to 600 soldiers daily, Russia’s casualties in its war with Ukraine may reach 100,000 by Christmas Day, per Newsweek.
Just a note to readers, it’s not uncommon for countries to overstate their accomplishments when at war. That stated, Ukraine is defending itself extremely well so it wouldn’t be entirely surprising if their estimates are on point or close.
As of December 11, Ukraine estimates there have been 94,140 Russian casualties since Day 1 of the invasion, February 24, 2022.
So, how does Ukraine’s estimate of Russian casualties over 10 months (94,140) compare with American wartime deaths? (Source Wikipedia)
| Military Conflicts | Duration | Deaths |
| Afghanistan | 2001-21 | 2,432 |
| Iraq | 2003-11 | 4,576 |
| Gulf War | 1991 | 219 |
| Vietnam | 1961-75 | 58,209 |
| Korea | 1950-53 | 36,574 |
| World War II | 1941-45 | 405,399 |
| World War I | 1917-18 | 116,516 |
By Christmas, Russia may have lost as many soldiers in Ukraine as the U.S. in its combined conflicts with Iraq (twice), Afghanistan, Korea, and Vietnam. Hence, from 1950 to 2022, the U.S. experienced about 103,000 wartime casualties.
Ukraine has shocked the international community with its resilience and tenacity and is arguably winning against the much larger, better-funded Russian military.
Because Russia’s apparent casualty rates aren’t sustainable in the modern era, look for Belarus to join Vladimir Putin’s forces in 2023 if not later this month. In fact, per Kyiv Post, Russian and Belarusian troops are currently congregating near Ukraine’s northern borders.
“Let them come,” a Ukrainian soldier said.
