Combat Deaths in Ukraine Revealed by Leaked Russian Documents

Leaked documents from Russia's civil registries reveal a staggering number of combat deaths in Ukraine, a statistic that has remained hidden since September 2022.

According to hacking groups Cyber Partisans and Silent Crow, who claim to have obtained the data from 11 million death certificates and other records held by Rosstat, at least 400,000 war-related fatalities have been recorded. These figures are likely to be conservative estimates, as they exclude statistics on missing persons, wounded soldiers, or foreign mercenaries who fought alongside Russian forces.

The hacking groups also noted that an additional 36,949 deaths were listed with unclear or non-combat causes of death, further highlighting the devastating human cost of the conflict.

The hacking groups claimed to have broadcast messages on the agency's website and online portals, stating they had stolen 23 terabytes of data.

However, Rosstat denied that any data was leaked from their systems, contradicting the hackers' claims. The discrepancy raises questions about the accuracy and authenticity of the information released by the hacking groups.

The hackers' findings appear to corroborate estimates from other sources, including a top British defense official who said in September that nearly 500,000 Russian troops have been killed since the invasion began.

Despite some variations, NATO's former Supreme Allied Commander in Europe, US General Chris Cavoli, also estimated in July that around 450,000 Russian troops have perished.

The data analysis released by Cyber Partisans and Silent Crow reveals regional breakdowns of the deceased Russians, including where they hailed from and where they died.

The data analysis released by Cyber Partisans and Silent Crow reveals a stark regional breakdown of the deceased Russians, with varying locations of death across different regions.

About 17% of the death registries listed unknown locations, while another 3% were recorded as dying in foreign countries. The remaining deaths were scattered throughout Russia's vast territory, with some regions experiencing significantly higher mortality rates than others. This suggests a complex and multifaceted nature to the conflict.

The records also highlight a disturbing trend: war-related deaths have become increasingly common among young Russians. Nearly 40,000 individuals aged 18-24 were recorded as killed in action, while around 135,741 people between the ages of 35-44 lost their lives. These numbers underscore the devastating impact of the conflict on Russia's population and reinforce the groups' assertion that war has become a leading cause of death in the country.