Russia losing troops faster than it can recruit, says Ukraine’s Commander-in-Chief

The past year of the war became the first for the Russian military in which its manpower losses in Ukraine exceeded its level of recruitment.

Ukraine’s Commander-in-Chief General Oleksandr Syrskyi said this in an interview with the French newspaper Le Monde, according to Ukrinform.

“Despite the fact that in 2025 Russia managed to mobilize and conscript 406,000 people, its total losses killed and wounded amounted to approximately 418,000 soldiers,” Syrskyi said, meaning that Russian army losses exceeded its recruitment levels.

According to him, these figures should be viewed with regard to the fact that in the same year “Russian offensive forces were increased to 713,000 servicemen.”

The general noted that Ukrainian forces are currently taking between 1,000 and 1,100 Russian soldiers out of combat – killed or wounded – every day.

He also stressed that he does not comment on the course of diplomatic negotiations, but is concerned that “Ukraine must not be forced to give up its territories.”

“Until the negotiations are concluded, my task is to ensure that, regardless of what happens, our actions on the battlefield prevent the enemy from advancing deeper into our defenses and allow us to liberate our territory where possible. This is precisely what will ensure fair negotiations leading to a just peace,” the general emphasized.

As Ukrinform previously reported, Syrskyi has said that the rising losses of Russian troops in the war against Ukraine are among the results of the introduction of a corps-based reform.