1 July 2026
The Russian-Ukrainian casualty ratio in the first half of 2026 rose to nearly 8:1, compared to 2:1 to 3:1 for most of the war. This is the result of Ukraine’s active use of drones, particularly those powered by artificial intelligence.
The Center for Strategic and International Studies ( CSIS) in Washington reported this on Wednesday, July 1.
According to new CSIS data, Russia’s battlefield losses continue to rise rapidly. From February 2022 to June 2026, the Russian army lost up to 450,000 servicemen killed, and total combat losses ( killed, wounded, and missing) reached 1.4 million.
“The number of Russian wounded and dead is staggering. No great power has suffered such massive losses in any conflict since World War II, making it a grim and unprecedented figure for Russia in modern history. By comparison, Russia lost approximately four times more troops in the war against Ukraine than the United States has lost in all of its wars combined since World War II,” CSIS analysts reported.
According to their estimates, during the same period, the total losses of the Ukrainian Defense Forces amounted to between 525,000 and 625,000 personnel, including those killed, wounded, and missing. Of these, according to the center, between 125,000 and 150,000 service members were killed.
Photo: CSIS
CSIS also estimates the “cumulative losses” of Russia and Ukraine, which, according to analysts, exceeded 2 million people during this period.
The amount of territory occupied by Russia in Ukraine decreased in the spring of 2026. In April and May, Russia lost approximately 400 square kilometers of previously captured territory.
The study also notes that Ukraine is effectively striking Russian military and critical economic targets at various ranges using artificial intelligence-based systems and a new air force concept.
CSIS also writes that by 2026, Russia’s monthly losses, exceeding 30,000 troops, have likely already exceeded its rate of recruitment—around 27,000 troops per month.
The study also found that Russia’s ground offensive has actually slowed. The occupiers are advancing on average about 50 meters per day near Konstantinovka, 70 meters near Pokrovsk, and 90 meters near Slavyansk. This is one of the slowest rates of advance in wars over the past century.
“The bitter irony of the war in Ukraine is that, despite Russia’s difficulties on the battlefield and its economic vulnerability, the US and Europe have failed to exert full economic or military pressure. Without significant losses in human lives and material resources, Putin will likely continue the war—even as he pushes his country toward an economic, political, and military abyss,” CSIS concluded.
Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksandr Syrsky reported that as of the end of June 2026, the total number of the Russian offensive group on Ukrainian territory amounted to 721,300 military personnel.
He also stated that the latest attacks by Ukrainian forces on Russian bridges and logistics routes are already impacting the overall situation on the front line. According to the Commander-in-Chief, the effectiveness of the Defense Forces’ attacks on the enemy’s rear infrastructure is confirmed by the reduction in its manpower—currently, 722,000, including operational reserves.
In February of this year, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that 55,000 Ukrainian servicemen had died since the start of Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine.
“No great power has suffered such massive losses in any conflict since World War II”
Just one thing wrong with this sentence. Mafia land is not a great power. Ukraine have shown it to be a Potemkin power with more bluff and bluster than power.
Right. Just because the cockroach thinks he’s great doesn’t mean he’s great, he’s just a cockroach to be stepped on.