Zelensky announces that 55,000 Ukrainian soldiers have been killed since the start of the war
In a rare official statement regarding military casualties, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky revealed the death toll of Ukrainian armed forces since the outbreak of open warfare with Russia. Zelensky reported that approximately 55,000 Ukrainian soldiers have died defending their country since February 24, 2022, while also noting that a significant number of soldiers remain missing, casting a pall of grief over the city of Kyiv.
The Ukrainian president's remarks provided a detailed explanation of the nature of these losses, stating, "The number of soldiers killed is 55,000, whether they were already serving in the regular army or were later conscripted as part of the general mobilization." Zelensky added a crucial point regarding the uncertainty surrounding the fate of many, emphasizing that "there are a large number of individuals whom Ukraine considers missing," which opens the door to several possibilities, including that they were killed without their bodies being recovered, or that they were taken prisoner.
These statements are of exceptional importance given the strict secrecy the Ukrainian leadership has typically maintained regarding casualty figures since the beginning of the Russian invasion. From the outset of the war, Kyiv considered disclosing the number of dead to be a state military secret, both to protect the morale of soldiers and civilians and to prevent Russia from exploiting these figures in its propaganda and psychological warfare. This disclosure comes at a sensitive time and may be intended to highlight the heavy sacrifices Ukraine is making to the international community in order to secure continued military support.
Historically and contextually, this war is the largest in Europe since World War II, with the fighting escalating into a protracted war of attrition. Heavy artillery, drones, and trenches were employed along front lines stretching for hundreds of kilometers in the east and south of the country. The ferocity of the battles in areas such as Bakhmut and Avdiivka resulted in heavy losses of life and equipment for both sides.
Observers believe that announcing this figure, despite its magnitude, may be an attempt to preempt Russian estimates, which typically exaggerate Ukrainian losses, and to clarify for Western allies the heavy price Kyiv is paying. The issue of missing persons remains an open wound in Ukrainian society, with authorities striving to document cases and communicate with international organizations to try to determine the fate of soldiers who disappeared on the battlefield.
