More and more men aged over 40 found amongst dead Russian soldiers

The image of the average killed Russian soldier has changed since the middle of 2024, writes BBC: whereas most of the Russian losses consisted of young contract servicemen at the start of the war, now most of the killed Russians are aged over 40, with little combat experience and special training.

Source: BBC

Details: The publication, which was based on obituary analysis and conversation with the relatives of the deceased troops, revealed the names of around 70,000 Russian servicemen killed since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Particular emphasis is placed on how the average portrait of a killed Russian soldier has changed. If youthful contract soldiers accounted for the majority of losses at the start of the full-scale war, now most deaths on the battlefield are men over the age of 40.

In 2022, the average Russian fatality was a 21-year-old contract soldier who fought in an elite formation, such as the Airborne Forces or Special Operations. However, by mid-2024, the share of older volunteers had dramatically increased among the deceased. Many of them had no combat experience or specific training, and before being transferred to the front, they attended short courses ranging from three to ten days.

According to the BBC, volunteers aged 42 to 50 have suffered the greatest amount of losses, with 4,100 people killed, accounting for 30% of all fatalities in this category.

Journalists argue that this shift implies that Russia has mostly exhausted its supply of young and professional military personnel, forcing it to mobilise older individuals with no combat experience. Obituaries also suggest that many people signed the contract voluntarily, but there have been reports of coercion, particularly among conscripts, convicts, and Chechen residents.

Background:

• The Wall Street Journal data shows that the total number of Ukrainian and Russian military personnel who have been killed or injured since the start of the full-scale Russian invasion has reached approximately 1 million.
• The WSJ reports that, according to confidential Ukrainian estimates from earlier this year, the number of Ukrainian military casualties stands at 80,000 killed and 400,000 injured.

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