The Pentagon stated that in the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine, there have been over 600,000 casualties, reaffirming the United States’ continued support for Ukraine and opposition to Russian aggression.
On Wednesday, a senior Pentagon official briefed the media on the current situation of the Russia-Ukraine war, revealing that since the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, over 600,000 Russian troops have been wounded or killed.
The official mentioned that last month, “the casualties among Russian forces in action were higher than in any other month of the war.”
She added, “Just the casualties Russia suffered in the first year of the Russia-Ukraine conflict exceed the total casualties Russia or the Soviet Union incurred in all conflicts since World War II.”
The casualty statistics released by the Pentagon on Wednesday significantly surpass the previous official U.S. estimate. A declassified U.S. intelligence report from mid-December 2023 estimated that 315,000 Russian troops had been killed or wounded in Ukraine.
This indicates that the Russian military may have paid a heavy price for gains made during the summer.
Since the summer, Moscow has been steadily occupying territories in eastern Ukraine, including Donetsk and advancing towards Pokrovsk, a crucial railway hub and supply point for Ukraine. The loss of Pokrovsk could weaken Kyiv’s defense capabilities.
As Russian forces approach the city and target stronger defenses, the cost of their advance increases.
U.S. officials anticipate that Russia will continue to exploit its numerical advantage to break through the previously fortified defenses.
A U.S. military official told reporters, “This is Russia’s way of war, continuously throwing a large number of troops at problems. I think we will continue to see high casualty rates.”
During a briefing, U.S. officials also highlighted that Ukraine has sunk, destroyed, or damaged at least 32 large Russian naval vessels in the Black Sea, forcing the Russian Black Sea Fleet to relocate from Crimea.
The Ukrainian military has also destroyed over two-thirds of Russia’s pre-war tank inventory, prompting Russian frontline forces to resort to using Soviet-era stockpiles and tanks from World War II.
Officials noted that so far, Putin has avoided large-scale conscription to prevent domestic backlash, primarily recruiting more soldiers by raising retirement pensions and wages. However, with increasing frontline losses, Russia’s current approach may face challenges.
Officials added, “We are closely monitoring how long his stance can be maintained, I believe this is an important issue that all of us should closely watch.”
Despite escalating losses on the Russian side, it does not necessarily mean Ukraine will achieve victory as Ukraine has also suffered heavy losses.
The Pentagon did not disclose the casualty figures for Ukraine. Ukrainian President Zelensky stated in February that around 31,000 Ukrainian soldiers had been killed.
U.S. officials emphasized that Ukraine is continuously building a strong defense on the ground and in the air.
They stated, “It’s a tough fight with a large number of daily attacks emanating from Russia, but Ukrainians are doing well in defending their critical infrastructure and frontline positions.”
They mentioned that the U.S. is closely monitoring Ukraine’s weapons inventory for self-defense needs and working with other countries to bolster Ukraine’s arsenal to counter these attacks.