More than 400k Russians killed fighting in Ukraine war, leaked data suggests

A leaked Russian statistics-agency dataset records 412,576 deaths explicitly linked to combat in Ukraine since Russia’s full-scale invasion. The material, containing more than 11 million death certificates, was obtained by hacking groups and shared with media outlets. Russia confirmed a breach but denied sensitive information was taken; the full dataset could not be independently authenticated. Its casualty figure broadly aligns with outside estimates: British intelligence put Russian deaths at about 500,000, while the independent outlet Mediazona has identified nearly 286,000 dead by name and estimates the actual toll is close to half a million. Researchers say the leak likely understates deaths because some soldiers remain missing or unidentified and official records lag by about six months.

The figures point to exceptionally heavy losses, rising sharply in late 2024 and 2025, when some months saw more than 15,000 deaths - around 500 a day. The burden has fallen unevenly: in Buryatia, Tuva and Zabaykalsky Krai, war deaths represented roughly a third of all deaths among men aged 18-49 through mid-2024, compared with about 10% in Moscow and St Petersburg. The estimated military toll exceeds deaths across Soviet and Russian wars since 1945 by more than eightfold. Despite the scale, losses may strengthen rather than weaken Vladimir Putin’s determination to pursue his aims. The numbers emerge as Russian and Ukrainian delegations prepare for US-brokered Abu Dhabi talks focused on security, de-escalation and humanitarian issues.