Russia's losses in the war with Ukraine: data, chronology, sources
Updated: October 16, 2026. How many Russian soldiers died in the war with Ukraine, how it's counted, and how estimates have changed. This page collects materials from "NotMoscow Speaking" about casualties in one place and is updated as new data is released.
What is known now
- The list of names of the dead, maintained by Mediazona and the BBC Russian Service with a team of volunteers, includes over 280,000 people as of October 16, 2026. In the two weeks between October 2 and 16, 15,721 more were added. More.
- Meduza and Mediazona's May 2026 estimate put the death toll at approximately 350. For the first time, this included those recognized by the courts as dead or missing (approximately 90), plus 261 "regular" deaths since the beginning of the war. More.
The figures differ because the counting methods are different: the list of names consists of confirmed names, while the assessment also includes those declared dead by the courts, without bodies. Journalists emphasize that the count is based on open sources, and the actual losses could be two to three times higher.
Who dies?
According to the October 2026 list, 35% of the dead were volunteers who signed contracts after the war began, 10% were prisoners, and 8% were mobilized. The largest number of fatalities occurred in Bashkortostan—12,435 people. Contracts were more often signed by residents of small towns and villages, where there were fewer opportunities to find stable employment. By comparison, in the August 2025 estimate, these proportions were different: 27% volunteers, 14% prisoners, and 11% mobilized.
Chronology of ratings
| date | What's new | Material |
|---|---|---|
| February 24 2024 | The average losses of the Russian army are about 120 deaths per day. | "120 deaths a day" |
| February 24 2025 | Mediazona publishes the Russia 200 list of names: over 95 | "Russia 200" |
| July 25 2025 | In the two weeks from July 11 to 25, the death toll increased by 2204 people. | Losses increased by 2204 |
| August 29 2025 | Mediazona and Meduza name 125,7 dead; estimates based on probate records and obituaries | Names 125,7 thousand |
| 9 May 2026 | Joint study: about 350 thousand dead, taking into account those recognized by the court | Losses by 2026 |
| October 16 2026 | The BBC and Mediazona list: more than 280,000 names, 15,721 in two weeks | The list has been updated. |
According to
Mediazona and the BBC Russian Service, along with a team of volunteers, maintain a list of names daily, using open sources such as regional government reports, obituaries, publications by relatives, and local media. Meduza and Mediazona separately estimate the total number of losses based on the Register of Inheritance Cases and obituaries on social media. Starting in 2026, the estimate will also include those declared dead or missing by the courts.
Sources of
- Mediazona: The Russia 200 list — an interactive infographic of the victims, produced by Mediazona and the BBC Russian Service with a team of volunteers.
- BBC Russian Service: Death toll update, October 2026.
- Meduza: How Meduza and Mediazona came to an estimate of losses, May 2026.
The figures on this page are taken from the materials of "Speaking Not Moscow", links to each are provided in the table above.