The human cost of Russia’s invasion continued to climb in Ukraine’s estimates, with its General Staff putting Russian personnel losses at approximately 1,570,540 through Oct. 21 after adding 1,820 for Oct. 20.
Ukraine’s Defense Ministry published the figures on Oct. 21. The tally begins Feb. 24, 2022, when Russia launched its full-scale invasion. The ministry’s Oct. 20 release put the cumulative figure at 1,568,720; its earlier estimate through Oct. 19 was 1,567,160.
The latest total and daily increase are unverified Ukrainian estimates. The ministry gave no breakdown of personnel killed, wounded or missing, so the cumulative figure should not be read as a death toll.
For Oct. 20, the General Staff also listed losses of 11 tanks, 44 artillery systems, 1,820 operational-tactical drones and 407 vehicles and fuel tanks. Its cumulative equipment estimates through Oct. 21 included 12,436 tanks, 25,586 armored fighting vehicles and 51,403 artillery systems.
The Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) estimated in a July 1 study that Russia was sustaining 30,000 to 34,000 casualties a month in 2026 while recruiting roughly 27,000 people monthly. Those are estimated rates, rather than a measure of losses on Oct. 20 alone.
For February 2022 through June 2026, CSIS put Russian battlefield casualties at about 1.4 million and casualties among Ukrainian forces at 525,000 to 625,000. Both estimates include personnel killed, wounded and missing. The study’s June cutoff means its Russian figure covers an earlier period than Ukraine’s Oct. 21 tally.
