Russia burns through 1% of its men to grab 1.45% of Ukraine, The Economist reports

Dec 8, 2025 - 14:07

russia burns through 1% its men grab 145% ukraine economist reports · post chart shows estimated total russian casualties deaths full-scale russia-ukraine war 24 2022 1 2025 losses has lost

Russia has lost up to 1% of its pre-war male population of fighting age while capturing just 1.45% of Ukrainian territory over nearly three years, according to The Economist. These staggering losses underline the brutal cost of the invasion, as Russian forces continue pushing forward with only limited gains.

Amid Moscow's ongoing invasion of Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin reportedly hopes that Ukraine’s defenses will collapse gradually, then all at once.

Russia lost 1% of its men to gain 1.45% of Ukraine

Since the start of the full-scale invasion in 2022, Russia has managed to capture only an additional 1.45% of Ukraine’s territory, according to The Economist’s calculations based on data from the Institute for the Study of War (ISW). That marginal territorial gain has come at a catastrophic human cost: between 1 million and 1.35 million Russian soldiers have been killed or wounded. The Economist reports that "perhaps" 1% of Russia’s pre-war male population of fighting age has died in Ukraine.

The pace of Russia’s advances increased slightly in 2025. Russian forces seized 4,562 square kilometers this year, compared with 3,734 square kilometers in 2024. The most intense gains came in November, with troops capturing 690 square kilometers in just 30 days—equivalent to about one and a half Los Angeles International Airports (LAX) each day, The Economist says.

russia burns through 1% its men grab 145% ukraine economist reports · post chart shows share ukrainian territory controlled before full-scale invasion 2025 territory-control has lost up pre-war male population — Chart shows the share of Ukrainian territory controlled by Russia from before the full-scale invasion through 2025. Source: The Economist

Yet despite this acceleration, progress remains slow and geographically limited. Russia's current main target — the city of Pokrovsk, with a pre-war population of 61,000, has been under assault for 14 months — is still not fully under Russian control.

Kremlin needs three more years to finish taking eastern Ukraine

Even if current momentum continues, Russia would need until May 2028 to seize the rest of the four eastern Ukrainian oblasts it partially occupies: Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk, and Luhansk. That would require taking an additional 20,345 square kilometers—or 1,453 LAXs.

Russia's casualty count, The Economist notes, likely exceeds the number of American troops killed or wounded in World War II. If oil prices fall in 2026 as expected, funding the war may also become more difficult for the Kremlin.

Ukraine weakened by losses, Europe alone in support

Ukraine has suffered heavy losses too and faces severe manpower shortages, The Economist says. Fighting has increasingly moved to urban areas, where territorial shifts are smaller but often strategically important. In cities like Pokrovsk, even minor gains may open paths to larger breakthroughs. Russia’s growing advantage in drone warfare now allows it to hit Ukrainian positions well beyond the front line.

Meanwhile, Europe struggles to provide enough resources to keep Ukraine’s defense viable. With almost nothing coming directly from the United States, Kyiv is increasingly reliant on European deliveries.