Russia reports record number of soldier casualties in ongoing conflict

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Ukraine Reports Increase in Russian Casualties

According to recent figures released by Ukraine’s armed forces, the country has seen an increase in Russian casualties in March. The casualty rate for Russian soldiers in Ukraine reached a new monthly high, with 35,351 reported losses.

The majority of these losses were attributed to drone strikes, accounting for 96% of the total. Artillery and small arms fire accounted for the remaining percentage. This represents a 29% increase from February, according to Ukrainian Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov.

Fedorov also stated that Ukraine has video footage of each strike in its system, confirming the losses. The figure is slightly above the previous record set in December and appears to confirm Ukraine’s claim that Russian casualty rates are rising this year.

In terms of territorial acquisitions, Russia has been unable to replace all of the losses since December. According to estimates by the Institute for the Study of War, a Washington-based think tank, Russia captured an average of 5.5 square kilometers per day in March, compared to 10.66 square kilometers per day in the middle of last year and 14.9 square kilometers per day at the end of 2024.

Russia’s recruitment efforts have also been impacted by its losses. The country aimed to recruit 409,000 contract soldiers this year, but Ukraine’s “I Want to Live” initiative reported that Russia recruited only 940 troops a day in the first quarter. This would result in a daily average recruitment rate of 1,120, falling short of the target.

Ukraine’s defence ministry has set a goal of 50,000 Russian casualties per month, which it considers the “optimal level” to weaken Russian forces irrecoverably. The country is also exploring ways to exploit Russia’s manpower shortages as a strategic weakness.

In related news, Ukraine’s drone production and training have been credited with its growing lethality. In March, Ukrainian forces struck 151,207 targets using drones, a 50% increase on February. This is attributed to the successful outpacing of Russia’s drone manufacturing capabilities, resulting in a 1.3:1 overall ratio of First Person View drones on the frontlines.

Ukrainian interceptor drones also shot down a record 33,000 Russian UAVs in March, according to Ukrainian Defence Minister Fedorov.

Source: Al Jazeera