Russia lost more than 50,000 troops in a month, Ukraine 10 times fewer — NATO
Kyiv • UNN
According to NATO's assessment, Russia lost more than 50,000 troops in September, while Ukraine lost around 5,000. The figures have not been independently verified.
In September 2026, the Russian army suffered more than 50,000 military personnel killed and wounded in Ukraine. Of these, up to 28,000 were killed. Bloomberg reports this, citing a senior NATO military official, writes UNN.
Details
According to the Alliance official's estimates, Ukrainian forces lost around 5,000 military personnel over the same period. Thus, according to these estimates, the Russian army's total losses were approximately 10 times higher.
The publication's source explained that the Russian command continues to send its units on the offensive through so-called kill zones, where troops come under strikes from drones and artillery and encounter minefields.
The war is becoming increasingly costly for Russia
According to Bloomberg, Ukrainian forces have also intensified strikes on facilities deep inside Russia, including oil refineries and data centers. At the same time, during ground operations, the Defense Forces regained control of more than 125 square kilometers of territory.
Against the backdrop of significant losses, the Russian authorities continue to increase military spending. In 2026, Russia's defense budget is expected to reach 17 trillion rubles, or approximately $199 billion. This is 40% more than the initial plan presented at the end of 2025.
At the same time, the Kremlin is not publishing official data on the losses suffered by its army or the scale of recruitment of new military personnel. It is currently impossible to independently verify NATO's estimates.