High and mid range estimates of Russian Casualties in Ukraine compared to US casualties in Iraq and Afghanistan

The estimated number of people killed in eastern Ukraine since April 2014 has now passed the 6,000* mark, in spite of successive ceasefires, the UN Human Rights Office announced Monday, saying the escalation in fighting in recent weeks, particularly near Donetsk airport and in the Debaltseve area, resulted in hundreds of deaths, both civilian and military, and an untenable situation for those trapped or held hostage in the areas controlled by armed groups.

From mid-April 2014 to 28 February 2015, 5,809 people were documented as killed and 14,740 wounded in the east of Ukraine. Of these, 1,012 were killed and 3,793 wounded between 1 December 2014 and 15 February 2015. Given that full reports on casualties, especially near Donetsk airport and in the Debaltseve area, are still pending, the UN Human Rights Office estimates that the total number of people killed in eastern Ukraine by 2 March has almost certainly exceeded 6,000.

A Ukrainian blog that claims to tally Russian casualties via radio intercepts has the following estimates. (http://oyblogg.blogspot.se/)

Killed: 7,501
Wounded: 5,953
MIA: 3,344

This is just Russian regular army, not counting the separatists and others. The number of killed in this category is estimated in excess of 20 thousand, this number is difficult to compile exactly due to lack of official reporting — they just bury them in unmarked graves or burn on site in mobile crematoriums.

The US has had 6717 casualties in Iraq and Afghanistan combined. The US had 4488 casualties in Iraq. The US had eight years of war in Iraq (2003-2011) and 14 years in Afghanistan (2001 to now). Russia has been fighting for one year in Ukraine.

In December, Euromaiden had estimated 11,500 deaths in the Russian-Ukraine war.

October 2014 picture at the Donetsk airport

2015 picture at the Donetsk airport

2015 picture at the Donetsk airport

Ukraine has restarted a draft. The Ukrainian army is about 200,000 men now and the number of combat soldiers around the fighting is 40,000 and is being increased to 50,000.

Russia has about 9000 soldiers inside Ukraine and has another 50,000 near the border.

SOURCES- oyblogg, wikipedia, kyivpost, reuters, euromaidanpress, ohchr (UN Human Rights Office)