Russian losses in Ukraine war in October 2023

During October, several very high rates of destruction of Russian equipment were achieved, as well as new records, Ukrainian analyst Oleksandr Kovalenko reports.

Tanks

It was for tanks that the record destruction figure of 521 was set.

Such figures were made possible due to the fact that there are disproportionately many tanks in the Russian forces, as the same armored fighting vehicle are being rebuilt in approximately the same volumes as main battle tanks. It is for this reason that tanks, which are now increasingly performing functions that are not their own, especially on the offensive, are more often destroyed.

Record number of destroyed Russian tanks in Ukraine

Armored fighting vehicles

Not a record, but a very, very high figure of 843 losses in armored vehicles. Russia's losses in this category were so high only at the beginning of the full-scale invasion, in March, April and May.

This dramatic increase in losses is also due to overestimation of the capabilities of its troops, even in the context of a narrow front offensive, and the absence of a number of accompanying factors that enhance assault operations. For example, the lack of a full-fledged "firing rampart" in the offensive and defense.

843 Russian armored vehicles were destroyed in Ukraine in October 2023

Artillery

In October, the second result for the number of destroyed artillery pieces was set – 773 units.

This figure confirms the fact of the high intensity of artillery duels and the level of counter-battery combat, in which the occupying Russian forces are losing qualitatively, but continue to have superiority quantitatively due to the total and very fast in terms of timing consolidation of Soviet artillery reserves.

Motor transport

Not a record figure, but very high, the third for the entire time of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine – 741 vehicles.

Motor transport continues to be one of the most striking indicators of Ukraine's performance on Russian logistics. It should be particularly noted that the predominant part of the destroyed units are not specialized vehicles. The Russian forces have serious problems with fully compensating for losses in this category, and have been able to overcome the situation at the expense of the civilian sector.

Personnel

Finalizing the review of the Russian army's losses for October, it is impossible not to note the high figure of 22,920 eliminated Russian troops.

This is the second figure for the entire period of full-scale invasion of Ukraine, and it is caused not only by the Russian command's negligent attitude to the lives of its soldiers and the acute shortage of equipment, which does not allow staffing units to fully perform combat tasks. And the equipment that is available is often so outdated in its characteristics that it has long been morally unsuitable for effective use in the current conditions.

It is worth noting that this problematic has a complex effect on all categories of losses, as a result of which they will be prone to high rates in the future.