One of the main unknowns of
the war in Ukraine, as the conflict enters its fifth month of fighting, lies in
Russia’s endurance. Sources are lacking in this resilience, and it is all the
more difficult to evaluate because of the opacity that also surrounds Ukrainian
military capabilities and Western arms deliveries.
Officially, the former Red
Army has lost very few men since the beginning of the conflict. Its last death
toll, published on March 25, was 1,351 soldiers killed and 3,825 wounded.
Since then, Moscow has said nothing. According to analysts, these losses should be at least 10 times higher.
“In four months, the Russian army has probably lost more than
10,000 men,” said Dimitri Minic, a researcher at the Institut Français des
Relations Internationales (French Institute of International Relations, IFRI).
“This is substantial, especially in an army that lacks infantry.”
Some Russian battalions may only have about 30 men left, compared to 600 to 800
in ordinary times, said the British Ministry of Defense.
The damage is even greater
among Moscow’s auxiliaries, sent to the front line in the Donbas.
