According to the reports on Friday (6 December), The Kremlin continues to face significant personnel losses as it pursues tactical objectives in the Donetsk region. According to the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), Russian forces have lost nearly 126,000 soldiers during their offensives in the fall of 2024 alone. These heavy losses come as Russia pushes forward with its operations in Ukraine, particularly in areas like Donetsk and Kursk.
The UK Ministry of Defense reported that November 2024 saw an alarming rise in casualties, with Russian forces averaging 1,523 daily personnel losses. This marked a historic high for daily casualties, and on November 28, Russia suffered over 2,000 casualties in a single day. In total, Russia’s losses for November amounted to 45,690 soldiers, continuing a trend of increasing casualties over the past five months.
Despite these losses, Russian forces made territorial gains in November. They captured 839 square kilometers of land, advancing at a rate of nearly 28 square kilometers per day. This brings Russia’s total territorial gains during September, October, and November 2024 to 2,356 square kilometers, at the cost of approximately 125,800 soldiers.
Analysts noted that Russia’s rate of loss is steep, with estimates suggesting the loss of around 53 soldiers for each square kilometer captured. As of December 5, 2024, fighting continued along the frontlines, with 170 combat engagements recorded, particularly in the Pokrovsk and Kurakhiv regions.
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