NATO Data: Russia's Monthly Ukraine Casualties Surpass Soviet Decade-Long Afghan War Toll.

Russian Casualties in Ukraine

According to Novyny.live: According to NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, Russia's military has suffered staggering losses in Ukraine. In December 2022 alone, Russian forces lost over 30,000 soldiers, a figure that exceeds the approximately 20,000 troops the Soviet Union lost during its entire ten-year war in Afghanistan. This comparison starkly illustrates the intensity of the current conflict.

Rutte stated that the Russian army is now losing more personnel each month than the Soviet Union did over a decade. Daily casualties in December 2022 reached around one thousand, highlighting severe strain on Russian manpower. The total number of Russian military personnel killed or wounded that month surpassed 30,000, underscoring the immense scale of the losses.

Mobilization and Support Challenges

Rutte further noted that while the Soviet army lost 20,000 soldiers over ten years in Afghanistan in the 1980s, Russia now faces losses exceeding that number in a single month. Despite these enormous casualties, Russian forces have continued their offensive operations.

This data points to a dramatic increase in Russian occupier losses, which are reported to have multiplied. In contrast, Ukraine's military casualties decreased by 13% in 2025. These facts highlight the critical situation on the front lines and the distinct challenges faced by both sides in the war.

The high casualties suffered by the Russian army indicate serious problems with its mobilization capabilities and its ability to sustain combat operations. — Mark Rutte

As losses mount, local support and troop morale within Russian forces may also deteriorate, potentially affecting the future course of the conflict. Meanwhile, the reduction in Ukrainian losses may reflect improved defensive tactics and strategy, which could enhance the country's capacity to resist aggression. The war in Ukraine has become the deadliest European conflict since World War II, with casualty figures remaining a key metric of its brutal progression.