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Russia Losing Troops Faster Than It Can Replace Them, Western Officials Say
Western officials report Russian troop losses surpassing recruitment by 9,000 in January, raising concerns about Moscow's ability to sustain its forces in Ukraine.
In January, Western officials assessed Russia sustained around 9,000 more battlefield losses than it was able to replace, exceeding Moscow's personnel capacity.
Ukraine's strategy aims to increase Russian losses, with Western officials assessing that Russia recruits 30,000–40,000 contract soldiers monthly, despite concerns over quality and cost.
Ukraine's General Staff reported approximately 920 Russian casualties in the 24 hours to Feb. 24, with total casualties just over 1.25 million, including 418,000 last year.
Regional governments are responding by cutting lower-priority spending, while Moscow provides federal top-ups, straining recruitment efforts, and officials said it would take two years to seize eastern Donetsk at the current rate.
Documents seen by Reuters indicate that as the war marked its fourth anniversary on Feb. 24, Russia is on track to cut defence spending by at least 7% in 2026, while over $300bn has been contributed to Ukraine since 2022 by Western allies.