Leaked data shows over 450,000 Russians killed in Ukraine war

More than 450,000 Russians have been killed in the war in Ukraine since 2022, according to leaked data from Russia's state statistics agency Rosstat, making it the country's fourth-leading cause of death. The figures, reported by The Moscow Times, emerged from a data breach claimed by Belarusian hacking groups. Russia has not officially updated battlefield casualty figures since September 2022, when it acknowledged 5,937 deaths, and the leaked data suggests the conflict is Russia's deadliest since World War II. The death toll includes military personnel and civilians, with ethnic regions and poorer areas suffering disproportionately. Britain's Defence Ministry estimated in September that over 500,000 had died fighting for Russia, with total casualties potentially reaching 1.5 million.