Trump Claims 5,000 Russian and Ukrainian Soldiers Die Weekly: The Facts Behind the Numbers

Following the most devastating assault on Kyiv since last summer, which claimed the lives of 13 citizens, U.S. President Donald Trump seemed to run out of tolerance for Russia, tweeting, "Vladimir, Stop! Every week, 5,000 troops are losing their lives. Let’s finalize the peace agreement!"

Trump reiterated a figure he has used previously to advocate for swiftly resolving the issue. war in Ukraine , lacking proof to support his claim.

Even though his number is significantly greater than what the public believes, a lack of official data To contradict his assertions meant they were frequently cited but received minimal resistance.

Ukraine and Russia both tightly control their figures, treating them as state secrets, which has created an informational gap that various parties have attempted to address.

The actual number of deaths remains highly controversial, yet specialists have attempted to estimate the fatalities among Ukrainian and Russian forces by analyzing public data and intelligence assessments over the course of the conflict.

Here’s what we know.

Most of the casualties among the troops have occurred on the Russian side.

Precise figures differ, yet all authorities concur – Russia is suffering significantly higher casualties compared to Ukraine.

Utilizing open-source information, both BBC Russia and Mediazona, an independent Russian media organization, have compiled lists of the individuals' names. Over 100,000 Russian troops have been reported dead. Since the comprehensive invasion started in February 2022.

Upon accounting for servicemen whose names might not be listed in public records such as cemeteries, obituaries, and war memorials, BBC Russia indicated that the actual fatality count could potentially span ranging from approximately 158,885 to 229,500 Russian soldiers.

The Ukrainian Armed Forces' General Staff releases daily estimates of Russia ’ s troop losses However, it does not distinguish between fatalities and those injured. As of April 30, the cumulative casualty count stands at 951,960. The General Staff has yet to disclose the methodology used for calculating these estimates.

In January, the former U.S. Secretary of Defense stated that Russia had experienced over 700,000 casualties, which includes both fatalities and wounded individuals.

Even though Ukraine hasn’t released its official casualty numbers throughout much of the conflict and supposedly kept these details secret from its partners, President Volodymyr Zelensky stated on February 16th that More than 46,000 Ukrainian troops had perished. since February 2022, on the battlefield.

However, unofficial estimates suggest a higher figure. The tally does not include many thousands of missing soldiers. Moreover, confidential sources indicate this discrepancy as well. The Wall Street Journal in September and by the The New York Times in August 2023 cited Ukrainian military fatalities as 80,000 and 70,000, respectively. Kyiv has pushed back on these estimates.

The Kiev Independent could not independently confirm the numbers reported by various sources.

Even though there is a significant difference in casualties, Russia maintains a considerably larger armed forces and can leverage its bigger populace for recruitment. This allows them to keep advancing steadily on the battleground despite suffering substantial losses.

Read also: Each discovery is crucial: The endeavor to retrieve Ukraine’s deceased servicemen (Photos)

Fluctuations occur in losses, however, the typical fatality rate is significantly less than what Trump claims.

Over a period exceeding three years of conflict, the average number of troops killed weekly—despite considering the upper bounds of official estimates for both Russia and Ukraine—is significantly lower than what Trump claims, amounting to fewer than 2,000 per week.

losses have increased since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, with daily and weekly numbers varying based on combat situations. The number of casualties went up during the expensive battles. Battle of Bakhmut In late 2022 and early 2023, and then surged once more towards the close of 2024 as conflicts intensified.

Various reports—cited by Ukraine’s Chief of General Staff Oleksandr Syrskyi—indicate that approximately half of the Russian military casualties happened in 2024 when Russia intensified its ground attacks.

About 7,000 Russian soldiers lost their lives and an additional 8,000 were wounded around Pokrovsk during January. according to Syrskyi Fighting has intensified around the vital logistics hub along Ukraine's eastern frontline.

Despite accounting for increased casualties recently, the weekly total fatalities for both Ukraine and Russia together still do not meet the claims made by Trump.

Read also: 'A highly lethal conflict' – what is the body count from Russia's invasion of Ukraine?