UK Defence Intelligence: Russian battlefield losses decreased in March

Defence Intelligence of the United Kingdom has noted that the average daily losses of Russian troops on the battlefield in Ukraine decreased during March. Source: UK Defence Intelligence review dated 7 April, as reported by European Pravda As noted, the average daily number of Russian casualties, both killed and wounded, during March 2024 decreased by about 74 people per day, to the average of 913 people per day.

The intelligence service emphasises that the reduction in losses corresponds to a lower number of recorded attacks over the past month.

As explained, the decrease in Russian offensive operations likely reflects a range of factors: a period of rest and re-equipping after the capture of Avdiivka and the intention to reduce the number of casualties reported during the March elections in Russia. Since the full-scale invasion in February 2022, Russian forces have suffered an average of 658 casualties per day. However, there has been an annual increase in the average daily number of casualties: from 400 in 2022, 693 in 2023, to 913 in the first quarter of 2024.

The increase in casualties reflects Russia's ongoing reliance on mass to sustain pressure on the Ukrainian fronts.

Background:

• The Intelligence Centre of the Estonian Defence Forces indicated in its weekly report that Russian troops are continuing to maintain the pace of their operational advance and initiative on the Luhansk and Donetsk fronts.
• NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg believes there are two scenarios for how combat action in Ukraine could unfold, depending on whether the NATO allies are able to unite to help Kyiv.

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