In the second 12 months on the front line the body count was nearly 25% higher than in the first year.

Russia’s military death toll in Ukraine has now passed the 50,000 mark - the BBC can confirm.

In the second 12 months on the front line - as Moscow pushed its so-called meat grinder strategy - we found the body count was nearly 25% higher than in the first year.

BBC Russian, independent media group Mediazona and volunteers have been counting deaths since February 2022.

New graves in cemeteries helped provide the names of many soldiers.

Our teams also combed through open-source information from official reports, newspapers and social media.

More than 27,300 Russian soldiers died in the second year of combat - according to our findings - a reflection of how territorial gains have come at a huge human cost.

Russia has declined to comment.

  • Milk_Sheikh@lemm.eeEnglish
    15·
    2 years ago

    Andrew is an OSINT volunteer who watches and categorizes battlefield losses in Ukraine, and it’s been sickening to see how callously Russia throws away lives:

  • Ajgp3ps@lemmy.worldEnglish
    14·
    2 years ago

    Ukraine estimates more like 450,000 dead. Based on the footage and stories, I’m inclined to believe that over 50k. Ridiculously low for the meat grinder that is the front lines for years.

    • pelya@lemmy.worldEnglish
      33·
      2 years ago

      That 450 000 counter is for dead + wounded, according to the explanation they gave some time ago.

    • capem@startrek.websiteEnglish
      6·
      2 years ago

      Yeah… sure…

      Have you ever considered that people pretty much only share/upvote footage of Ukrainians getting kills on /r/combatfootage?

  • nevemsenki@lemmy.worldEnglish
    9·
    2 years ago

    And if Ukraine is not getting enough aid soon, all those dead will be worth it for russians as they annex (a good portion of) Ukraine.

  • Dr. Moose@lemmy.worldEnglish
    3·
    2 years ago

    Remember when we thought Russians would eventually get fed up with their kids dying for a pointless war and start opposing their leadership.

  • tsonfeir@lemm.eeEnglish
    2·
    2 years ago

    I swear he’s just trying to deal with overpopulation by slaughtering them.

    • Hubi@feddit.deEnglish
      7·
      2 years ago

      Russia is far from overpopulated, they have only twice as many people as France. This war will most likely destroy a number of small villages, where most of their force is drafted from.

      • Valmond@lemmy.worldEnglish
        2·
        2 years ago

        1. “We don’t care if some village is deserted”

        2. “Welp! Our highly educated are leaving by the millions!”

    • baru@lemmy.worldEnglish
      3·
      2 years ago

      They already had a problem because if you look by age group and sex they would have issues in future. They’re now creating and even bigger problem. An entire age group where there are hardly any men. Just check their population pyramid. Lack of young people. They’ll now have way less.