Russian death toll equals lives lost during nine-year Afghan war

RUSSIAN troop deaths in the first three months of the war in Ukraine are the same as Soviet losses during nine years of conflict in Afghanistan, the Ministry of Defence has said.

In its daily briefing, the MOD said: “In the first three months of its ‘special military operation’, Russia has likely suffered a similar death toll to that experienced by the Soviet Union during its nine year war in Afghanistan.”

Over the campaign from 1979 to 1989, the Soviet Union lost some 15,000 soldiers. Thousands more were wounded.

In its own morning update, Ukraine’s military said yesterday it estimates Russian personnel losses of 29,200 since Moscow’s invasion began on Feb 24.

Russia keeps official losses confidential, but previous leaks have been in line with western estimates.

The MOD said: “A combination of poor low-level tactics, limited air cover, a lack of flexibility and a command approach which is prepared to reinforce failure and repeat mistakes has led to this high casualty rate, which continues to rise in the Donbas offensive.”

Ukraine’s general staff said in a Facebook post yesterday that Russia had lost 150 troops in the past day. These figures have not yet been verified by western security and intelligence officials.

The MOD added: “The Russian public has, in the past, proven sensitive to casualties suffered during wars of choice.

“As casualties suffered in Ukraine continue to rise they will become more apparent, and public dissatisfaction with the war and a willingness to voice it may grow.” The MOD previously said Russia had lost a third of its ground forces committed to Ukraine since the conflict began. In its last update in March, the Kremlin said it had lost some 1,300 troops since the start of the invasion.

Vladimir Putin did not order mass mobilisation in his Victory Day speech earlier this month, despite the need for reinforcements. However, The Daily Telegraph last week disclosed that Russia is mobilising by stealth, using unofficial texts and emails to order young Russians to attend conscription offices.

As many as 100 Ukrainian soldiers may be dying each day in eastern Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Sunday.