Ukraine has “broken Russia’s ability to advance” by killing so many of its soldiers, Kyiv’s former top general has claimed.
General Oleksandr Syrskyi claimed Russia’s overall war losses were six times higher than Ukraine’s, adding that “if you count only dead, then it’s up to 11 times”.
It comes weeks after an investigation by Russian independent outlet Mediazona identified the names of 258,989 Russian military personnel killed in Ukraine. British intelligence agency GCHQ said in May that nearly 500,000 Russian troops have been killed since Moscow launched the war in February 2022.
The Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) says Ukrainian forces had suffered between 125,000 and 150,000 fatalities as of June 2026, estimating Russia’s as between 400,000 and 450,000 in the same period.
Neither country issues official data on their war deaths.
Gen Syrskyi, who was talking to the BBC in one of his first interviews since he was removed in the summer, said the higher death toll for the Russian army partly accounts for why Russian advances have largely stalled across the eastern frontline. Technological advances in the Ukrainian military, and strategic attacks on Russian weak points were other factors, he said.
He said that Russia seized just 61 square kilometres during the first six months of 2026, stating this was an “indication that the front line has been stabilised”.
Moscow has for years deployed a so-called “meat grinder” strategy, which sees it send large numbers of troops towards a heavily fortified Ukrainian frontline, in an effort to overcome its defences with sheer manpower.
But this approach has seen it achieve just incremental gains since first charging into the country more than four years ago. According to various estimates by western intelligence and militaries, the Russian army has at times suffered more than 1,000 casualties per day.
The Institute for the Study of War assessed that Russian forces had suffered a net loss of 80.81 square kilometres in September 2026 (175.54 sq km gained, 256.35 sq km lost).
In the interview, Gen Syrskyi also refuted claims by his critics that he was too “old school” for the war as technological developments, most notably the significant increase in the use of aerial drones, became central elements of the war.
Syrskyi was dismissed in July as Volodymyr Zelensky looked set to stave off widespread protests.
Demonstrators had gathered outside the Ukrainian president’s office in Kyiv demanding Syrskyi’s sacking and the reinstatement of popular former defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov, who was fired after a clash with senior military leaders.
Fedorov, who is often credited with improving Ukraine’s army since he took office in January, was said to have had significant differences with Syrskyi.
Syrskyi revealed he had had “disagreements” with the former defence minister because he "didn't take into consideration the interests of the army" when procuring weapons and supplies, creating an “imbalance”, the former commander told the BBC.
Front-line kit had been overlooked as Fedorov prioritised purchasing drones, Syrskyi said, claiming that even with drones, the army was only provided with half of what was necessary.
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