Volunteers now account for majority of Russian battlefield deaths, says BBC study

BBC reported the information.

According to the outlet, for the first time, volunteers - civilians who enlisted after the war began - now account for the majority of battlefield deaths since Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022.

Every day, the names, obituaries, and funeral photos of those killed in Ukraine are published across Russia in the media and on social networks. BBC Russian and Mediazona have compiled these names from various open sources, including official reports.

The BBC verified that authorities or relatives confirmed the deaths, identifying soldiers killed in the war. New graves marked with defense ministry flags and wreaths have also provided names. So far, 70,112 Russian soldiers killed in Ukraine have been identified, though the actual number is likely much higher, as some families do not publicly share details, and militia deaths in Russian-occupied Donetsk and Luhansk are not included.

Of the confirmed deaths, 13,781 were volunteers, making up 20% and now surpassing other categories. Former convicts, who once had the highest fatality rate, now account for 19%, while mobilized soldiers make up 13%. Since last October, weekly volunteer deaths have consistently exceeded 100, with some weeks recording over 310.

“As for Ukraine - it rarely comments on the scale of its deaths on the battlefield. In February, its president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, said 31,000 Ukrainian soldiers had been killed, but estimates based on U.S. intelligence suggest greater losses,” the outlet notes.

BBC data shows that most volunteers come from small towns in regions where stable, well-paid jobs are scarce. While most joined willingly, some in Chechnya reported coercion and threats. Some volunteers later realized their contracts had no end date and unsuccessfully sought help to leave. Military salaries can be 5-7 times higher than average wages in poorer areas, with added social benefits like free childcare and tax breaks. One-off signing bonuses have also increased in many regions.

“Most of the volunteers dying at the front are aged between 42 and 50. They number 4,100 men in our list of more than 13,000 volunteers. The oldest volunteer killed was 71 years old - a total of 250 volunteers above the age of 60 have died in the war,” the outlet emphasizes. 

Russian soldiers told the BBC that rising casualties among volunteers are due to their deployment in the most difficult front-line areas, especially in Donetsk, where they reinforce depleted units. Russia's "meat grinder" strategy, sending waves of soldiers to wear down Ukrainian forces and expose their positions to artillery, continues. Drone footage shows Russian forces attacking Ukrainian positions with little equipment or support.

Hundreds of men have sometimes died in a single day. Recently, Russian forces unsuccessfully tried to capture Chasiv Yar and Pokrovsk using such tactics. A Russian defense ministry study found 39% of soldier deaths result from limb injuries, with improved first aid and medical care potentially lowering mortality rates.

The government seems eager to avoid a new wave of official mobilization, instead increasing calls for volunteers with added incentives. Local officials have been tasked with recruiting, targeting those with debts or legal issues, and running campaigns in universities. Since 2022, prisoners have been offered release for military service, and now people facing criminal charges can avoid trial by going to war, with their cases frozen or dropped.

Hundreds of men have sometimes died in a single day. Recently, Russian forces unsuccessfully tried to capture Chasiv Yar and Pokrovsk using such tactics. A Russian defense ministry study found 39% of soldier deaths result from limb injuries, with improved first aid and medical care potentially lowering mortality rates.

The government seems eager to avoid a new wave of official mobilization, instead increasing calls for volunteers with added incentives. Local officials have been tasked with recruiting, targeting those with debts or legal issues, and running campaigns in universities. Since 2022, prisoners have been offered release for military service, and now people facing criminal charges can avoid trial by going to war, with their cases frozen or dropped.

“A small number of the volunteers killed have been from other countries. We have identified the names of 272 such men, many of whom were from Central Asia - 47 from Uzbekistan, 51 from Tajikistan, and 26 from Kyrgyzstan,” the report says.

Last year, Russia reportedly recruited people from Cuba, Iraq, Yemen, and Serbia. Foreigners in Russia without valid visas or work permits are offered non-deportation and fast-tracked citizenship if they survive the war, though many later complained of not understanding the paperwork. India and Nepal have urged Moscow to stop sending their citizens to Ukraine and repatriate the bodies of the dead, but these calls have not been addressed.

Many new recruits have criticized their training. One man who joined in November told the BBC he was promised two weeks at a shooting range but was instead “thrown onto the parade ground and given poorly made gear.” He added, "We were loaded onto trains, then trucks, and sent to the front. About half were sent into battle straight from the road, with some going from the recruitment office to the front line in just a week."

Samuel Cranny-Evans, an analyst at the Royal United Services Institute in the UK, emphasizes that basic skills like camouflage, concealment, and silent movement should be taught as essential infantry training. 

Another soldier noted that equipment is inadequate, often consisting of mismatched uniforms, standard boots that wear out quickly, and outdated gear. He described it as "a random bulletproof vest and a cheap helmet," stating, "It's impossible to fight in this. If you want to survive, you have to buy your own equipment."