On July 3, 2024, the Russian Defense Ministry released a report on the progress of pro-Russian forces and the Russian army in the ongoing conflict against Ukraine. In Russia, this war has been going on for 861 days and is referred to as a “special military operation.” However, experts from the Conflict Intelligence Team (CIT) and other independent military specialists question the accuracy of the Russian Defense Ministry’s reports, particularly regarding Ukrainian losses. Even pro-Russian military experts are skeptical of these reports. Despite this, it is considered important to share the contents of these documents for potential future analysis.
The Russian Defense Ministry’s report detailed numerous military actions and achievements in various regions of Ukraine. Forces in northern, western, southern, central, eastern, and Dnepr regions reported successful operations against Ukrainian Armed Forces and territorial defense brigades, resulting in significant losses for the Ukrainian side. These operations included repelling counterattacks, occupying advantageous positions, and destroying enemy equipment and vehicles.
The Russian Defense Ministry claimed substantial losses on the Ukrainian side, including personnel, armored vehicles, artillery, and military equipment. Additionally, the report highlighted the destruction of aircraft, helicopters, unmanned aerial vehicles, anti-aircraft missile systems, tanks, artillery pieces, and special military vehicles. However, independent observers believe these figures may be exaggerated, particularly following the release of a declassified US intelligence document suggesting significant losses for the Russian army.
According to verified data from open sources, the confirmed losses of the Russian army and pro-Russian military groups in Ukraine amount to thousands of casualties. Researchers acknowledge that the actual number of casualties may be much higher, and the fate of missing and captured individuals remains unknown. Meanwhile, UN data indicates a significant number of Ukrainian civilian casualties since the conflict began, with many deaths and injuries reported across various regions of the country, particularly in cities like Mariupol.
The ongoing conflict in Ukraine continues to have devastating consequences for both military personnel and civilians, with conflicting reports from different sources highlighting the complexities and challenges of understanding the true human cost of war.