CSIS: Russia suffers eight-to-one casualty ratio as Ukraine war drags on

CSIS researchers say Russia is now losing about eight troops for every Ukrainian fatality, with Moscow reporting roughly 450,000 soldiers killed and about 1.4 million total casualties since the 2022 invasion. The 2026 casualty rate has topped 30,000 per month as Ukraine’s drone strikes erode Russian gains, while analysts blame Russia’s meatgrinder tactics, weak joint‑warfare practices, corruption and low morale. Ukraine has gained battlefield experience and improved drone capabilities, and Moscow’s front-line comms have been strained after losing access to SpaceX Starlink, contributing to a grinding war along a front over 1,000 kilometers long.