Since the beginning of the year, at least one thousand prisoners who were supposed to serve their sentences in Russian prisons have died in the war on the territory of Ukraine. This is reported by journalists of the BBC Russian Service and Mediazona, as well as a team of volunteers who count the dead from open sources.
After analyzing obituaries, journalists concluded that at least 400 prisoners had died in the last two weeks. Many were killed in the battles near Bakhmut.
In total, since the beginning of the war, more than two thousand people have died, who were supposed to serve time in the colony.
In total, by March 17, according to open data, it was possible to confirm the death of 17,375 people who fought on the side of the Russian army. About a third of them are volunteers, conscripts, prisoners and mercenaries of the so-called Wagner PMC.
- The Russian Defense Ministry does not disclose data on personnel losses and does not comment on the figures voiced by journalists. The Ukrainian authorities also do not report on the number of military dead.
- According to Western intelligence estimates, the loss of the Russian army in killed and wounded can reach 200 thousand people – up to 60 thousand of them could die.
- In November, the Pentagon said losses on both sides, Russia and Ukraine, were believed to be 100,000 each; the doubling of ratings by Washington was not commented on.
- In conditions of hostilities, it is difficult to quickly check the reports of the warring parties.
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