Military expert assesses Russian troop losses in Ukraine for August

Oleksandr Kovalenko, a Ukrainian military expert, has analyzed the monthly losses of Russian forces in Ukraine in a joint project by OBOZ.UA and Information Resistance.

Personnel losses:

In August, Russian forces suffered 36,810 personnel losses, the second-highest figure for 2024, similar to June and July.

These losses result from the continued high intensity of combat operations, relying heavily on infantry due to a shortage of armored fighting vehicles. For the fourth consecutive month in 2024, personnel losses have exceeded 35,000.

Tank losses:

In August, Russian forces lost 193 tanks. This lower number is because there are fewer Russian tanks along the front lines.

The Russian command continues to limit the use of main battle tanks in assaults due to a growing shortage of tanks in the combat zone - a trend that has persisted since May. The Russian military-industrial complex cannot and will not be able to reverse this situation.

Armored vehicle losses:

In August, Russian forces lost 557 armored fighting vehicles. This decrease is due to reduced deliveries and a growing shortage of these vehicles in the combat zone.

Despite intensified offensive actions in August, the use of armored vehicles by Russian forces remained low, even less than in July or June. This suggests that the ability to replace losses is worse than expected.

Artillery losses:

In August, Russian forces lost nearly 1,517 artillery pieces. The previous high was in July with 1,520, followed by 1,415 in June, and 1,160 in May.

These losses often refer to artillery systems being damaged and rendered inoperable, but still repairable, rather than completely destroyed.

Artillery losses remain the highest among all categories. More significant progress could be made if Ukraine received more artillery systems and ammunition from its partners.

MLRS losses:

In August, Russian forces lost 44 multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS), a slight increase but not a record. After a period of low losses, these figures have returned to average levels due to an increase in makeshift MLRS systems on the battlefield.

Air defense losses:

In August, Russian forces lost 33 air defense systems, a typical number. However, air defense systems have been in critically short supply for some time.

Vehicle losses:

In August, Russian forces nearly set another record with 2,065 vehicles lost, just shy of the July record of 2,103. The situation remains unchanged, with most vehicles being used outside their intended purpose on the front lines to compensate for the lack of armored vehicles. This category is likely to continue growing.

Special equipment losses:

In August, Russian forces set a new record with 278 special equipment losses. This category has seen rising losses since early 2024, with three records set in the first half of the year. Summer 2024 has been the most intense period yet.

“In August, Russian forces saw both record losses and near-record losses in key categories.

The Ukrainian Defense Forces continue their defensive strategy, successfully working towards the 2024 campaign’s main goal: depleting Russian forces to the point where they lose both offensive and defensive capabilities.

Currently, Russian forces are already reducing their use of tanks and armored vehicles on the battlefield. Given the current trends, a critical shortage of tanks and armored vehicles could occur before 2025 - possibly even in 2024. As for air defense systems, this critical shortage has already been reached,” the military expert concluded.

• Over the last day, September 1, the invading Russian forces lost dozens of units of their equipment and 1,300 soldiers at the front.