Things are heating up in the Donbass

[tirwin1]

Interesting article on Russia's casualties and where their cannon fodder comes from. Short answer - educated elites in Moscow and St Petersburg are much less likely to be in the army than those from poorer sections of Russia.

Russia's Middle-Aged Poor to the Grinder

...these are not the Stark's greybeards...

cdrsalamander.substack.com

 

[Mosinitis]

Interesting article on Russia's casualties and where their cannon fodder comes from. Short answer - educated elites in Moscow and St Petersburg are much less likely to be in the army than those from poorer sections of Russia.

Russia's Middle-Aged Poor to the Grinder

...these are not the Stark's greybeards...

cdrsalamander.substack.com

They don't have the data to draw this map.
Most of what was published in the West about Russia was highly inaccurate.

 

[tirwin1]

They don't have the data to draw this map.
Most of what was published in the West about Russia was highly inaccurate.

You don't disappoint.

So what are the russian casualty figures and are most of their troops from the poorer regions?

 

[Robin]

Putin Slips Up Death Toll of russian Forces in Ukraine of Over Half a Million K.I.A. | Defense Express

The figure of 500,000 personnel killed in the war against Ukraine is the minimum estimate, actually

en.defence-ua.com

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/27/us/politics/russia-ukraine-casualties.html

 

[Mosinitis]

You don't disappoint.

So what are the russian casualty figures and are most of their troops from the poorer regions?

The number is not in the public domain. It's all speculation. Two significantly different figures just above.

 

[tirwin1]

The number is not in the public domain. It's all speculation. Two significantly different figures just above.

Take a guess, or link to a news source you think is credible.

 

[Mosinitis]

Take a guess, or link to a news source you think is credible.

Credible news source will not give a number, that's the whole point.

 

[spat]

They don't have the data to draw this map.
Most of what was published in the West about Russia was highly inaccurate.

That's pretty much how all nations in the history of ever operate, so I'm not sure where your skepticism is coming from.

 

[spat]

Credible news source will not give a number, that's the whole point.

Name one major conflict ever in all of world history where the majority of the deaths weren't from the lower classes.

Or are you claiming Russia is so much better than every other state ever than they have managed to make war "fair" ?

 

[Mosinitis]

Name one major conflict ever in all of world history where the majority of the deaths weren't from the lower classes.

Or are you claiming Russia is so much better than every other state ever than they have managed to make war "fair" ?

Crusades of German knights, just to prove you wrong.

There is a difference between saying something is likely to be true and actually quantifying it without having data.

 

[spat]

Crusades of German knights, just to prove you wrong.

There is a difference between saying something is likely to be true and actually quantifying it without having data.

That's only true if you accept the crusaders premise than the rest of their entourage doesn't count LOL.

Medieval warfare casualty counts look top heavy because the peasants who died weren't even considered important enough to count LOL.

 

[tirwin1]

Credible news source will not give a number, that's the whole point.

So if you have no idea of the casualties how can you say the Russians are winning or will win?

 

[Mosinitis]

So if you have no idea of the casualties how can you say the Russians are winning or will win?

Does Vietnam ring a bell? Casualty figures don't always tell who is losing.

 

[Robin]

Russia's losses in Ukraine rise faster than ever as US pushes for peace deal

A steep rise in soldiers' obituaries is documented by the BBC as part of its work in counting Russian war losses.

www.bbc.com

 

[Robin]

Russia suffers heaviest losses since World War 2

The report said Russia suffered 1.2 million casualties, including up to 325,000 troop deaths, between February 2022 and December 2025

www.independent.co.uk

 

[Robin]

MSN

 

[Robin]

Russian and Ukrainian military casualties in war nearing 2m, study finds

Thinktank says about 1.2m Russians troops killed, wounded or missing to date and 600,000 Ukrainians

www.theguardian.com

 

[Robin]

Russia and Ukraine's combined war casualties could reach 2 million soon, report estimates

A new report warns that the number of soldiers killed, injured or missing in Russia's war in Ukraine could reach 2 million by spring.

apnews.com

 

[Robin]

Russia’s Grinding War in Ukraine

Despite claims of success in Ukraine, new CSIS data shows that Russia is paying an extraordinary price for minimal gains, with over 1.2 million casualties. Russia is also in decline as a major economic power with slow growth, weak productivity, and declining manufacturing.

www.csis.org

 

[Robin]

Russian casualties in Ukraine top 1.2 million, report says

A new report has gathered data on battlefield losses from the war in Ukraine, estimating total losses could reach 2 million by April.

www.dw.com

 

[Robin]

Putin's Great Disaster: Russia Can't 'Win' the Ukraine War with 1.2 Million Casualties

Russia’s Ukraine war losses are now still pegged at 1.2 million as the state leans on attrition, cash incentives, censorship, and older gear to keep fighting on.

www.19fortyfive.com

 

[Robin]

Casualties of Russia in Ukraine - official data

Casualties of the armed forces of the Russian Federation during the war in Ukraine.

index.minfin.com.ua

 

[Robin]

The List Is Long: Russians Who Have Died After Running Afoul Of The Kremlin

The list of influential Russians who have been killed or died under murky circumstances after opposing, criticizing, or crossing Putin, the Kremlin, or the state is long. The latest addition is Aleksei Navalny, who crusaded against corruption and led anti-Kremlin protests.

www.rferl.org

These are the prominent critics and enemies Putin is suspected of having killed

Vladimir Putin's enemies often get killed under mysterious circumstances. There are at least 13 people Putin is suspected of having assassinated.

www.businessinsider.com

 

[Mosinitis]

The telltale sign of Western propaganda lies is how forcefully it is pushed. They are just throwing numbers out there, they don't know.
Just like 40 million people died in Stalin's purges. Arrogant lying is a part of Anglo-Saxon culture. It's everywhere, politics, business, healthcare, education system.

Last 3 exchanges of dead bodies between Russian and Ukrainian side averaged a thousand Ukrainian to a few dozens Russian. Hmmm.......

 

[Mosinitis]

"Maduro killed millions of people and ran torture chambers in the capital" - Donald Trump

 

[Drinkthekoolaid]

The telltale sign of Western propaganda lies is how forcefully it is pushed. They are just throwing numbers out there, they don't know.
Just like 40 million people died in Stalin's purges. Arrogant lying is a part of Anglo-Saxon culture. It's everywhere, politics, business, healthcare, education system.

Last 3 exchanges of dead bodies between Russian and Ukrainian side averaged a thousand Ukrainian to a few dozens Russian. Hmmm.......

I think the very honest explanation for why those body exchanges have been fairly one sided is very simple, it's the reality on the ground.

Russia is advancing and gaining ground, Ukraine is losing ground and retreating.

As ukranians are slowly over run, they retreat and their dead lay there as Russians advance.

Ukrainians aren't dragging Russian dead bodies with them when they can't even drag their own. It makes sense in that circumstance Russia is in possession of 10:1 ukrainian dead bodies to Russian dead bodies. When Russians die they lay there and sooner or later the Russian advance reaches them and they by default end up in Russian possession by mere reality that Russia is slowly grinding forward.

So those body exchange numbers really mean nothing other than it's the right thing to do.

It's actually pretty staggering the amount of casualties in this war on both sides. It's a meat grinder of horror.

 

[Mosinitis]

I think the very honest explanation for why those body exchanges have been fairly one sided is very simple, it's the reality on the ground.

Russia is advancing and gaining ground, Ukraine is losing ground and retreating.

As ukranians are slowly over run, they retreat and their dead lay there as Russians advance.

Ukrainians aren't dragging Russian dead bodies with them when they can't even drag their own. It makes sense in that circumstance Russia is in possession of 10:1 ukrainian dead bodies to Russian dead bodies. When Russians die they lay there and sooner or later the Russian advance reaches them and they by default end up in Russian possession by mere reality that Russia is slowly grinding forward.

So those body exchange numbers really mean nothing other than it's the right thing to do.

It's actually pretty staggering the amount of casualties in this war on both sides. It's a meat grinder of horror.

It's definitely a factor, but Russian advances are not as sweeping to account for all of this disparity. Territories change control back and forth before they end up under full Russian control, plenty of time to evacuate wounded and retrieve bodies. It is also believed that Ukrainians would rather have them listed as MIA's, to save money on compensations to the families. Still huge disparity.

 

[Robin]

Oh brother.
Robin

 

[Robin]

Russians describe senior officers ordering brutal execution of fellow soldiers

Russian soldiers told how they witnessed their comrades being killed at point-blank range on the order of senior commanders for refusing to be thrown into ‘meat storm’ missions in Ukraine

www.independent.co.uk

Ukraine war enter 5th year: Russian soldiers claim commanders ordered executions of fellow troops, says report

Soldiers would also be sent to “meat storms” – a tactic that involves sending waves of men across the front line to wear down Ukrainian forces.

indianexpress.com

‘Zeroed out’ How Russian army officers are executing their own men — and getting away with it — Meduza

Russian soldiers on the front line aren’t just dying in combat with Ukrainian troops — many are being killed by their own commanders. In a new investigation, the outlet Verstka identified 101 servicemen accused of involvement in field executions, referred to within the Russian army as “zeroings...

meduza.io

 

[tirwin1]

Russians describe senior officers ordering brutal execution of fellow soldiers

Russian soldiers told how they witnessed their comrades being killed at point-blank range on the order of senior commanders for refusing to be thrown into ‘meat storm’ missions in Ukraine

www.independent.co.uk

Ukraine war enter 5th year: Russian soldiers claim commanders ordered executions of fellow troops, says report

Soldiers would also be sent to “meat storms” – a tactic that involves sending waves of men across the front line to wear down Ukrainian forces.

indianexpress.com

‘Zeroed out’ How Russian army officers are executing their own men — and getting away with it — Meduza

Russian soldiers on the front line aren’t just dying in combat with Ukrainian troops — many are being killed by their own commanders. In a new investigation, the outlet Verstka identified 101 servicemen accused of involvement in field executions, referred to within the Russian army as “zeroings...

meduza.io

If the stories are true this is nothing new for the russians. Their security forces shot thousands of their own troops during world war 2.