Russia loses 53 soldiers for every square kilometer of Ukrainian territory captured this fall - ISW

The American Institute for the Study of War (ISW) analyzed the dynamics of Russian losses in its report.

During the intensive offensive operations in September, October, and November 2024, the Russian army lost approximately 125,800 people. During this time, Russian troops managed to seize 2,356 square kilometers of Ukrainian territory. That is, for every square kilometer of captured Ukrainian land, the invading forces lost about 53 soldiers.

“The Kremlin is continuing to suffer significant manpower losses to make tactical advances in western Donetsk Oblast at the expense of Russia's ongoing war effort and the medium-term viability of the Russian economy,” the report says.

ISW, based on geolocation data, estimated that in November, Russian troops advanced at a rate of approximately 27.96 square kilometers per day and captured a total of 839 square kilometers in Ukraine and the Kursk region. Earlier, ISW reported that Russian army losses increased in September and October 2024. Russian losses amounted to approximately 80,110 troops in exchange for approximately 1,517 square kilometers in Ukraine and Kursk region during these two months.

“Russia's constrained labor pool is likely unable to sustain this increased casualty rate in the medium-term, and continued Western military support for Ukraine remains vital to Ukraine's ability to inflict losses at this rate,” the report says.

• In November, Ukraine gave up a record 725 square kilometers of territory—the largest loss since the positional war started in 2022. Meanwhile, Russian forces took a heavy hit, suffering over 45,000 casualties, with a loss ratio favoring Ukraine at 1 to 5.
• Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, Russia has lost more than 750,000 troops in the war in Ukraine. Over the past 24 hours - 1,660 people.