Russia lost 430,000 soldiers in Ukraine in 2024: Report
What's the story
In 2024, Russia faced heavy military losses in Ukraine, with Ukrainian estimates suggesting around 430,790 Russian soldiers were wounded and killed.
This number exceeds the total Russian casualties in 2022 and 2023 combined.
Despite the losses, Russian forces captured only 0.69% of Ukrainian territory, amounting to 4,168 square kilometers.
According to the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), Russia captured four mid-sized settlements in Donetsk: Avdiivka, Selydove, Vuhledar, and Kurakhove.
Military progress
Russia's slow advances and high casualties in Ukraine
The ISW observed that Russia's advances were slow and lacked the rapid mechanized maneuvers required for deeper penetration into Ukraine.
At the current pace, Russia would take two more years to conquer Donetsk alone.
Ukrainian Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskii emphasized that Russian forces suffered high casualties due to Ukraine's defender's advantage in urban combat settings.
Casualty figures spiked toward the end of the year as Russia intensified its assaults, especially in November and December.
Warfare impact
Ukraine claims destruction of Russian military equipment
Ukraine also claimed to have destroyed a lot of Russian military equipment, including thousands of tanks and artillery pieces.
Facing a shortage of manpower, Russia also recruited North Korean fighters, but many were reportedly killed or wounded.
Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree asking undocumented migrants to leave Russia by April unless they join the military.
The move seeks to tackle a labor shortage worsened by the war.
Economic transition
Ukraine and Russia shift toward war economies
Both Ukraine and Russia have transitioned to war economies.
Ukraine has ramped up its domestic weapons production, with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy saying that 30% of weapons used last year were locally made.
Ukraine has also effectively used drones against Russian targets.
Russia has also ramped up drone production despite Western sanctions restricting technology imports.
Ukrainian air defenses also faced increased threats from Russian missiles and drones throughout 2024.
International support
US announces $2.5 billion military aid package for Ukraine
The United States reaffirmed its support for Ukraine with a $2.5 billion military aid package announced by President Joe Biden. The package included artillery rounds, rockets, armored vehicles, and air defense equipment as part of ongoing assistance efforts.
Despite Russia's increasing weapons output, Ukraine remained heavily reliant on supplies from its allies.
The new aid package is the remainder of the $60 billion in aid signed into law for 2024 by Biden.