Russia Has Lost 87% Of Its Standing Army In War With Ukraine, U.S. Intelligence Says

A declassified U.S. intelligence assessment shared with Congress revealed that Russia has experienced a staggering 87% reduction in its active-duty ground troops and two-thirds of its pre-invasion tanks since the start of its invasion of Ukraine.

The assessment states that out of the 360,000 troops that made up Russia’s pre-invasion ground force (which includes contract and conscript personnel), 315,000 have been lost in battle. Additionally, 2,200 out of 3,500 tanks and 4,400 out of 13,600 infantry fighting vehicles and armored personnel carriers have been destroyed. This equals a loss rate of 32%.

To sustain its war efforts, Russia has relaxed recruitment standards and utilized older equipment from Soviet-era stockpiles. However, the assessment highlights that the war has significantly hindered Russia’s previous 15-year endeavor to modernize its ground forces.

Despite the heavy losses in personnel and equipment, Russian President Vladimir Putin remains determined to continue the war, which will soon mark its second anniversary.

The intelligence assessment was sent to Capitol Hill on Monday and coincides with some Republicans’  hesitancy to provide Ukraine with additional funding. Simultaneously, the Biden administration has made efforts to secure supplemental funding from Congress. 

U.S. officials caution that Ukraine remains highly vulnerable in the face of the current conflict. While there were hopes for a Ukrainian counteroffensive, progress has been slow, and U.S. officials believe it is unlikely that Kyiv will make substantial gains in the future months.

Last week, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was in Washington to meet with U.S. lawmakers and President Joe Biden as he urgently seeks military and economic aid to support Ukraine’s fight against Russia.

The political landscape in Washington poses a significant challenge for Ukraine, as some Republicans are opposed to providing further funding, and Senate Republicans insist they include it in a broader spending package that covers Israel, Taiwan and the U.S. southern border. The Biden administration warns that the U.S. will soon be depleted of funds for Ukraine.

Before the invasion, Russia’s total standing military consisted of approximately 900,000 active-duty troops across various units. After the invasion, Russia announced plans to increase the size of its armed forces to 1.5 million. The Russian Ministry of Defense has implemented multiple rounds of conscription, which includes the regular fall conscription cycle on October 1. 

Additionally, Russia has relied heavily on convicts recruited by the Wagner Group and has raised the age limit for certain reserve categories in the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation.

In the spring, Putin faced a rebellion from Wagner leader Yevgeny Prigozhin. In August, Prigozhin was killed in a plane crash under mysterious circumstances.