Price of war: losses on battlefield by Ukraine and Russia. Serhiy Zgurets' column

On Ukrainian and Russian losses

I will start this column with a publication in the American edition of the Wall Street Journal, which is currently being discussed quite actively, since its focus is on Ukrainian losses in the war—a topic that has long been considered taboo. Information regarding the number of dead and wounded is typically not disclosed until after a conflict has ended, as it can serve multiple purposes. During the war, such data can reveal the actual state of affairs but can also be manipulated or used to influence certain decisions.

In February, President Zelenskyy reportedly said that around 31,000 Ukrainian soldiers had died in the war. This disclosure caused quite a stir at the time.

And yesterday, on September 17, the Wall Street Journal published an article about both Ukrainian and Russian casualties in the war. The outlet writes that it is difficult to determine the exact number of dead and wounded in the war because Ukraine and Russia do not release real data, and sometimes they release figures that many people do not trust.

According to an estimate made at the beginning of this year, the total number of Ukrainian and Russian military personnel killed or wounded since the start of the full-scale aggression has reached one million. Meanwhile, according to a confidential Ukrainian assessment cited by the Wall Street Journal, 80,000 Ukrainian servicemen have been killed, and 400,000 wounded. Estimates of Russian losses vary; some data suggest 200,000 dead and around 400,000 wounded. The Ukrainian General Staff today reports 636,000 Russian losses, with an increase, or rather a decrease, of 1,020 Russians over the past day.

These losses pose problems for Russia, writes the Wall Street Journal, but they are more threatening to Ukraine due to our significantly smaller population. Moreover, civilian casualties among Ukrainians should also be considered, and those figures remain unknown.

The article mentions Russia's capture of Mariupol, which cost Ukraine 8,000 lives, according to Human Rights Watch. It also notes that after Mariupol, there were dozens more cities and villages that were completely destroyed by Russia.

The outlet also explains why young men aged 18-25 are not being drafted, noting that the war threatens and has catastrophic consequences for Ukraine's demographic situation. While this is accurate, the key point is that Russia's invasion, with its ambitions and objectives, has catastrophic consequences not just for demographics, but for the entire country and every Ukrainian, as this is a genocidal war aimed at exterminating the Ukrainian people.

And look at how Russian soldiers behave on the battlefield. The latest example is the execution of a Ukrainian defender in the town of Novohrodivka. There was a photo where Russian soldiers stabbed a sword with the inscription “For Kursk” into a Ukrainian soldier whose hands were tied. We also remember how they shot a captured sniper of the Chernihiv Regional Military District, Oleksandr Matsievskyi, for saying “Glory to Ukraine”. We remember this.

Russia has no intention of stopping; it can only be stopped. I found it strange to read in this publication that the headline combined the losses of both armies - the aggressor’s and the defending country’s.

The significance and value of these losses are fundamentally different because they lie on opposite sides of the spectrum of good and evil. We understand that such publications resonate, influence decision-making, and shape opinions in society and among politicians, including our crucial partner, the U.S. The portrayal of the war as bloody and the losses as severe might suggest that the only path forward is negotiations.

Such conclusions could indeed be drawn, representing the worst effects of such publications. In this context, delays in military aid from Ukraine's partners are perceived with growing concern.

However, we need to strive for other courses of action. Indeed, Ukrainian losses are significant. Even if we lost only one thousand of our defenders, these losses would be enormous for us. But the Russian losses are greater, and they must be such that the aggressors have no illusion that they can win on the battlefield by military means. Therefore, it is extremely important that at this moment Ukraine's partners move to a strategy of cooperation with Ukraine that is focused on the defeat of Russia in Ukraine. And this should be the key goal with the appropriate volume and pace of military assistance to Ukraine.

Military and economic assistance is extremely important now. We hope that our partners will have the courage and determination to match it. Just as Ukrainian defenders have, who are now defending their land even when Russia has an advantage in manpower. This is how I perceive this publication related to the information on battlefield casualties.

About Ukrainian Armed Forces snipers

Next, we will talk to a man who devotes a significant part of his efforts, time and resources to ensuring that the Ukrainian Armed Forces are able to eliminate the invading Russian forces in maximum numbers through quality. We are talking about training and equipping snipers, volunteer assistance to ensure that Ukrainian soldiers receive the best rifles and have the opportunity to spread the best practices of destroying the enemy.

Yuriy Chornomorets, a Ukrainian religious scholar and philosopher, Ukrainian Armed Forces sniper, commented on the previous topic of disclosure of losses, noting that Israel publishes the names of all fallen soldiers, and thus has an honest dialogue with society about the level of losses. In his opinion, Ukrainian and Western sources underestimate the level of losses on both the Ukrainian and Russian sides. Unfortunately, the war is dragging on with huge casualties on both sides. We should have been quicker to show the superiority of Western weapons, to inflict a decisive defeat on the aggressor, and we would have achieved this with minimal losses. Accordingly, this would have shown the leadership of the West and the free world.

A serviceman explained that a group of professional snipers can significantly alter the battlefield situation. For instance, current units often include formerly convicted individuals who are newly formed and just beginning combat operations. When these units are covered by professional snipers and machine gunners, they feel much more confident and become psychologically more resilient. In contrast, when they are only supported by drones and artillery, they cannot easily discern whether they have adequate cover, which can impact their performance. With snipers and machine gunners providing cover, these soldiers immediately perform at a much higher level, showing excellent results.

A Ukrainian sniper noted that his social media pages provide information about needs. Currently, there is a strong demand for Victrix Throne rifles with a 38-inch barrel, which are the most long-range and designed for targeting enemies up to 4 km away. The effectiveness of this rifle is remarkable due to its extreme accuracy, tight grouping, and suitability for snipers. Each additional 500 meters of distance from the enemy significantly improves the sniper's survival chances. So far, 53 snipers have died, with only two using the .375 caliber rifles. One died from an accidental artillery strike, and the other from an ambush while leaving a mission. Thus, the .375 caliber is seen as a guarantee of survival, and efforts are being made to supply it to the troops.