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FACT BRIEF

Is the number of Russian troops killed in the Russo-Ukrainian War on track to surpass the number of American troops killed in the war in Afghanistan?

Monday, March 21, 2022
By Lisa Freedland
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YES

Less than a month after Russia invaded Ukraine, an estimated 7,000 Russian soldiers have been killed, according to American officials who spoke to the New York Times on the condition of anonymity. In comparison, 1,910 U.S. soldiers were killed in action in Afghanistan, according to a Defense Department casualty report. In Iraq, 3,481 American troops were killed in action. When factoring in "non-hostile" deaths, the combined fatality count is 6,758. 

The 7,000 figure is a mid-range estimate; some place the count as low as 3,000 while others place it as high as 10,000. Estimates are based on media analysis, Ukrainian and Russian figures, satellite imagery and extrapolations from destroyed tanks, according to CNN. Last week, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky reported 1,300 Ukrainian soldiers had been killed.

This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.
Sources
New York Times As Russian Troop Deaths Climb, Morale Becomes an Issue, Officials Say
US Department of Defense Casualty Status as of 10 a.m. EDT March 14, 2022
CNN Mounting Russian casualties in Ukraine lead to more questions about its military readiness
Axios Zelensky: 1,300 Ukrainian soldiers have been killed in "war of annihilation"
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Fact briefs are short, credibly sourced summaries that offer “yes/no” answers in response to claims found online. They rely on publicly available, often primary source data and documents. Fact briefs are created by contributors to Gigafact —a nonprofit project looking to expand participation in fact-checking and protect the democratic process. See all fact briefs here.