At least 7,822 Russian soldiers were killed in Ukraine since the war began. Their names were verified by Mediazona, BBC News Russian and a team of volunteers.
This information is as of 21 October. At least 41 men on the list of deceased soldiers were drafted over the past month. Some of them were not killed in hostilities, but died at training centres, training grounds or military units.
Mediazona points out that there has been a sharp increase in volunteers killed in the war. “The number of confirmed losses among volunteers is now comparable to the losses of the airborne forces and motorised infantry (over 800 volunteers, over 1,200 airborne and motorised infantry troops),” the media outlet writes.
According to Mediazona, considering the lag in processing and publishing the data by reporters, it can be said that over the past 6 to 8 weeks, volunteers have borne the brunt of the losses. This includes the BARS special combat army reserve, Akhmat, as well as soldiers of regional battalions that signed a short-term contract with the Russian military after the war started.