Russia's losses in Ukraine estimated to be over 300,000 killed or wounded

Russia has lost more than 300,000 military personnel in Ukraine, with thousands more believed to have deserted the battlefield, the Armed Forces Minister has revealed.

James Heappey told MPs that the UK estimates the losses faced by President Vladimir Putin to be approximately 302,000 Russian military personnel killed or wounded, while tens of thousands more have already deserted since the start of the conflict.

Mr Heappey was answering a question from shadow defence secretary John Healey.

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With regards to the losses suffered by Russian private military companies (PMCs) in the war, Mr Heappey said the number of personnel killed was not clear.

"Russia have utilised several PMCs and volunteer units in Ukraine to augment Russian military forces, but the deaths of personnel from these organisations are not reflected in Russian official military death tolls," he explained.

More losses

The Armed Forces Minister also gave details on the other losses suffered by Russian forces.

He said: "We also estimate that over 7,117 Russian armoured vehicles, including nearly 2,475 main battle tanks, 93 fixed-wing aircraft, 132 helicopters, 320 unmanned aerial vehicles, 16 naval vessels of all classes and over 1,300 artillery systems of all types have been destroyed since the start of the conflict."

Putin's election campaign

In the Ministry of Defence's (MOD) latest defence intelligence update on the situation in Ukraine, it noted that President Putin had visited the Southern Military District headquarters in Rostov on Don.

"This is Putin's second visit to the headquarters in four weeks," it said, pointing out that the trip was "likely an uptick in his continued efforts to paint himself as the 'patriotic' candidate ahead of the election campaign".

According to the MOD intelligence: "On 09 November 2023, the Kremlin announced that President Putin will hold his traditional combined press conference and public phone-in before the end of the year.

"Kremlin planners will almost certainly see the event as an important waypoint in Putin's anticipated campaign to secure a fifth term in office in the March 2024 presidential elections. He is likely to announce his candidacy before the end of 2023."