New research indicates that Russia may have lost over one million soldiers in Eastern Ukraine since President Vladimir Putin initiated the invasion of a neighboring country.
The Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) has released an analysis that resembles the somber warfare tactics of World War One, with Russian forces reportedly trading thousands of lives for every mile of territory gained.
The extent of the reported losses is staggering. According to the analysis, by 2025, Russia experienced casualties every six weeks that matched the total U.S. losses over the 19-year Vietnam War.
Despite the significant human toll, estimated at 1.2 million casualties, including those killed, wounded, and missing, Russia has only managed to capture around 12 percent of Ukraine’s land between February 2022 and December 2025.
The CSIS estimates that between 275,000 and 325,000 Russian soldiers have died since the invasion began, marking the largest number of combat deaths since World War Two.
This report from the Washington-based think tank contrasts with perspectives that predict an inevitable Russian victory, highlighting the severe impact on Ukraine’s male population, where all men over 25 are conscripted.
Ukraine, with a population significantly smaller than Russia’s, has reportedly endured between 500,000 and 600,000 battlefield casualties since the conflict began.
Among these casualties, up to 140,000 individuals are believed to have been killed.
The CSIS report not only sheds light on the scale of loss on the Eastern European frontlines but also details the extent of territory Russia has acquired by 2025, bolstered by troops from North Korea and other sources.
Unlike the early days of the 2022 invasion, when Russian forces reportedly seized up to 7,400 meters daily, the rate of advancement since 2024 has significantly slowed.
The areas around Donetsk and Kharkiv have seen Russian units enduring heavy losses for mere meters of land, with progress averaging below 25 yards per day on both fronts.
This sluggish advance through obstacles like mines and trenches is slower than any major army’s progress in the past century, according to the CSIS report.
The report offers an alternative view of the conflict, challenging the notion of an inevitable Russian victory by showcasing Ukraine’s resilient defense against a larger adversary.
“A close look at the data suggests that Russia is hardly winning and, even more interestingly, that Russia is increasingly a declining power,” the report states.
In a war of attrition, victory is determined not by individual battles but by the capacity of citizens to endure losses, with the report projecting casualty totals could reach two million by spring.