On Sunday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced over 31,000 Ukrainian troops killed since Russia's invasion two years ago. This marked the first official estimate of the toll suffered by Ukraine's military during the conflict that has gripped the region.

Addressing reporters at a news conference in Kyiv, Zelensky's disclosures came as the nation commemorated the second anniversary of the war.

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Ukrainian Troops Killed

Until now Ukrainian officials have closely guarded casualty figures trying to uphold public morale.

In December 2022 an advisor to Zelensky suggested up to 13,000 troops had fallen. Fourteen months later, the number of casualties has more than doubled.  

 Zelensky also alleges that Russia has approximately 500,000 casualties, including 180,000 troops killed in action. There is no way to independently verify these estimates.

Leaked Pentagon documents from last year offered insights into the extent of military casualties, with estimates suggesting a significant toll on both sides. Ukrainian casualties were projected between 15,500 and 17,000 killed. And 106,500 to 110,500 have been wounded. 

Russian Casualties

Russian losses were even more significant, with casualties ranging between 35,000 and 42,500 killed and 150,500 to 177,000 wounded, according to the US assessment.

The Russian government has been accused of obscuring the true extent of its military losses throughout the conflict.

Ukrainian authorities claim that over 400,000 Russian invaders have been eliminated since the invasion began.

British intelligence further underscores escalating Russian losses in 2023, estimating a protracted timeline of up to 10 years for Moscow to rebuild its professional army.

Russian opposition media have corroborated reports of over 43,000 Russian soldiers perishing in the conflict, including thousands of officers.

This grim reality underscores the toll exacted by the war, with actual losses likely surpassing official figures.

A “Big Loss”

"Each person is a great loss for us. Thirty-one thousand Ukrainian servicemen have perished in this war. Not 300 thousand or 150 thousand, as Putin lies. But each loss is a big loss for us. Russians - 180 thousand perished."

"In total, the losses of the dead and wounded in the Russian Federation amount to up to 500, including the wounded. Ukrainians - 31 thousand. I won't say how many are wounded because Russia will know how many have left the battlefield," Zelenskyy said.

The President also noted that there are a number of people who are termed missing Ukrainian citizens who may have been kidnapped or killed.

But these estimates won’t be announced until they can be certain. 

"Previous exchanges showed that a few guys who went missing have returned alive. We don't know how many civilians they killed (in the occupied territories - ed.). We will find out when we finish with Russia," Zelensky explained.