Russian losses spike 40% as covert mobilization hits front lines

Ukraine's Unmanned Systems Forces reported a sharp increase in confirmed Russian troop losses, with 2,699 killed or wounded in the first five days of October, a 39.7% rise compared to the same period in September. Commander Robert "Madyar" Brovdi attributed the spike to Russia's covert mobilization, noting the largest increase occurred on the Dobropil-Pokrovsk axis. He emphasized the figures are based on verified data from his units only, not estimates. Ukrainian intelligence previously stated Moscow plans to mobilize up to 600,000 people in 2026-2027. The General Staff reported approximately 1,540 Russian casualties in the last day alone, bringing total losses since February 2022 to over 1.54 million.