Russian losses in Ukraine now exceed recruitment, Western officials claim

South China Morning PostCenter-RightEN 1 min read 100% complete by BloombergFebruary 12, 2026 at 06:13 AM

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Western officials claim that Russian battlefield losses in Ukraine exceeded recruitment by approximately 9,000 in January. This suggests Ukraine's strategy to inflict heavier damage on Russian forces is gaining traction. Despite these losses, Russian forces failed to achieve significant territorial gains during the same period. Ukrainian officials aim to increase Russian losses to 50,000 per month by summer, hoping to strain Russia's ability to replace troops without further mobilization. While December saw Russian losses roughly equal to recruitment, the January deficit indicates a potential shift in the conflict's dynamics, although the sustainability of this trend remains uncertain. The assessment of Western officials could not be independently verified.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Bloomberg 30% Mykhailo Fedorov 40% North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) 40% Russian Defence Ministry ×250% Vladimir Putin 50% Kyiv ×360% Moscow ×360% Western officials ×370% Russia ×790% Ukraine ×695%

Keywords

russian losses 100% ukraine 90% battlefield losses 80% recruitment 70% military strategy 60% troop replacement 50% western officials 50% mykhailo fedorov 40%