Fact Check: One million Russian soldiers have died in Ukraine's bloodbath.

Fact Check: "One million Russian soldiers have died in Ukraine's bloodbath."

What We Know

The claim that "one million Russian soldiers have died in Ukraine's bloodbath" is based on statements from Ukrainian military officials and corroborated by various intelligence assessments. According to a report from the Associated Press, the General Staff of the Ukrainian armed forces stated that the number of Russian troops killed or wounded in Ukraine has surpassed 1 million as of June 12, 2025, marking a significant toll from the ongoing conflict that began with Russia's full-scale invasion on February 24, 2022 (AP News). This figure aligns with estimates from the U.K. Defense Ministry, which also indicated that Russia has suffered over 1 million casualties, including approximately 250,000 killed (AP News).

Additionally, a report by the Center for Strategic and International Studies suggested that Russia would likely reach the milestone of 1 million casualties during the summer of 2025 (AP News). However, it is important to note that these figures include both killed and wounded soldiers, which complicates the interpretation of the claim.

Analysis

The assertion that one million Russian soldiers have died is misleading because it conflates total casualties (which include both killed and wounded) with deaths alone. While the Ukrainian military's claim of over 1 million casualties is supported by various sources, the actual number of Russian soldiers killed is significantly lower. For instance, estimates from other credible sources, such as NPR, suggest that the number of Russian soldiers killed in Ukraine is around 47,000 (NPR). The Economist also reported that the death count could range between 290,000 and 460,000 by the end of 2023, indicating substantial discrepancies in casualty reporting (The Economist).

The reliability of the sources reporting these figures varies. Ukrainian military claims are often viewed with skepticism due to potential bias in wartime propaganda, while Western intelligence assessments provide a more balanced perspective but still rely on estimates that cannot be independently verified. The lack of transparency from the Russian government regarding its military casualties further complicates the situation, as the last official count reported by Russia was approximately 6,000 soldiers killed early in the war (AP News).

Conclusion

The claim that "one million Russian soldiers have died in Ukraine's bloodbath" is Partially True. While it is accurate that the total number of Russian casualties (including both killed and wounded) may exceed one million, the actual number of deaths is much lower, with estimates ranging from 47,000 to 460,000. The conflation of total casualties with deaths creates a misleading narrative about the scale of losses suffered by Russian forces in the conflict.

Fact Check: One million Russian soldiers have died in Ukraine's bloodbath.