Ukraine reports 1,990 Russian personnel losses in a day, bringing estimated total to 1.58 million
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that Russia lost about 1,990 military personnel over the preceding day. Estimated cumulative personnel losses since the beginning of the full-scale invasion reached approximately 1,580,440 as of October 26, 2026. The figures include personnel reported as killed or wounded and remain subject to revision.
Key points
- Russia reportedly lost about 1,990 military personnel over the preceding day.
- Cumulative Russian personnel losses reached approximately 1,580,440 as of October 26, 2026.
- Reported daily equipment losses included 1,656 operational-tactical drones, 18 artillery systems and 322 vehicles or tankers.
- Other daily losses included one tank, four armored combat vehicles, two multiple-launch rocket systems, one air-defense asset, one ground robotic system and two pieces of specialized equipment.
- The General Staff reported 157 combat engagements by 22:00 on October 25, including 22 Russian attacks on the Pokrovsk front.
- Russia does not officially disclose its military losses; its last official death toll was 5,937 personnel in September 2022.
Why it matters
The daily personnel-loss estimate raises Ukraine's cumulative figure above 1.58 million and illustrates the scale of the war. The reported destruction of 1,656 operational-tactical drones, 18 artillery systems and 322 vehicles or tankers in a single day shows both the volume and diversity of losses. The figures are subject to revision by the General Staff and were not independently verified in the available material. Russia's refusal to disclose its losses limits direct comparison with Ukrainian estimates.
What happened
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that Russia lost about 1,990 military personnel over the preceding day, bringing estimated cumulative losses since the full-scale invasion to approximately 1,580,440 as of October 26, 2026. The cumulative estimate includes personnel reported as killed or wounded.
Daily equipment losses included one tank, four armored combat vehicles, 18 artillery systems, two multiple-launch rocket systems, one air-defense asset, one ground robotic system, 1,656 operational-tactical drones, 322 vehicles or tankers and two pieces of specialized equipment. Cumulative losses were reported at 12,448 tanks, 25,609 armored combat vehicles, 51,632 artillery systems, 2,239 multiple-launch rocket systems, 1,726 air-defense assets, 3,018 ground robotic systems, 582,458 operational-tactical drones, 167,240 vehicles or tankers and 4,858 pieces of specialized equipment. The General Staff said the data were being refined.
How Ukrainian sources describe it
Ukrainian coverage focuses on the General Staff's daily and cumulative estimates, including detailed breakdowns of equipment losses. The reports contextualize the latest figures with earlier milestones and note that three of the five largest reported daily personnel-loss figures occurred in September and October 2026. Ukrainian officials also cite the scale of Russian losses alongside statements about Ukrainian casualties and comparisons with previous Russian wars.
How international sources describe it
Independent research cited in the material provides a substantially lower estimate of Russian military deaths. A joint BBC and Meduza study published on October 9 identified at least 276,113 personnel killed on the front since the full-scale invasion, while a NATO assessment put possible losses at up to 500,000. These estimates use different methods and definitions from Ukraine's combined count of personnel killed and wounded.
Where reporting differs
The reported number of combat engagements differs by time cutoff: 157 by 22:00 on October 25, compared with 177 for the full day. The General Staff's cumulative estimate of about 1.58 million personnel also differs from the independently identified death toll of at least 276,113 and the NATO estimate of up to 500,000, reflecting different methodologies and definitions of losses.
Background
The General Staff said Russian personnel losses exceeded 1.5 million on September 9, 2026. A record daily personnel-loss figure of 2,250 was announced on October 21. Three of the five largest reported daily figures occurred in September and October 2026. The joint BBC and Meduza study counted only personnel whose identities could be established from open sources.