UK intel: Russia’s bloodiest war since WWII with 500,000 irrecoverable losses

This was reported on social media platform X by the UK Ministry of Defence, citing intelligence data, as covered by Ukrinform.

According to the report, of that one million, approximately 250,000 Russian soldiers have been killed or are missing, marking Russia’s highest losses in active conflict since World War II.

The data also indicate that in 2025 alone, Russia has likely sustained over 200,000 casualties. The Ukrainian General Staff reports that Russia is losing over 1,250 soldiers per day on average.

The estimated Russia’s permanent combat losses (killed, missing, and irrevocably wounded) are now believed to be between 400,000 and 500,000 personnel.

“Wounded soldiers, especially those who are irrevocably wounded, continue to strain the Russian Military Medical System at all levels of medical care, causing significant logistic problems and resulting in a shortage of military medical personnel,” the report states.

The intelligence assessment suggests that Russian forces will likely continue using ‘meat assault’ tactics to stretch Ukrainian defenses, break through fortified lines, and gain tactical advantages.

According to UK intelligence, Russia’s top leadership is almost certainly willing to tolerate sustained high casualties, as long as this does not undermine domestic public or elite support for the war, and as long as losses can be replaced with new conscripts.

As previously reported by Ukrinform, according to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, total Russian combat losses since February 24, 2022, have exceeded one million personnel as of June 12, 2025.