Photo: AA/ABACA / Abaca Press

The year 2024 was the bloodiest for the Russian army since the start of the full-scale invasion. The total losses amounted to 430,790 soldiers, which is equal to the strength of almost 36 motorised infantry divisions. This was reported by the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine on Thursday, 2 January.

The largest losses were recorded in December – 48,670 Russian servicemen. This is a record figure both for the year and for the entire duration of the war. The previous maximum was in November 2024 – 45,720 dead.

Ukrainian defenders also inflicted devastating losses on enemy equipment:

• Tanks: The Ukrainian Armed Forces destroyed 3,689 tanks, equivalent to 119 tank battalions. May was particularly notable, with 31 tanks destroyed in just one day, 12 May.
• Armoured vehicles: 8,956 armoured combat vehicles, the equivalent of more than 37 motorised infantry divisions, were destroyed. In October, a record 923 armoured vehicles were destroyed, costing Russia at least half a billion dollars.
• Artillery: The Ukrainian Armed Forces liquidated 13,050 artillery pieces, enough to form 725 artillery divisions.

Overall, 2024 proved to be an extremely successful year for the Ukrainian army in confronting the enemy. This confirms the resilience and effectiveness of Ukraine’s defence strategy in countering Russian aggression.