Putin Reports Nearly 700,000 Russian Troops in Ukraine Amid Continued Conflict

Russian President Vladimir Putin announces nearly 700,000 Russian troops are fighting in Ukraine, reflecting a significant increase in troop deployment since December 2022. 

Russian President Vladimir Putin announced on Friday that almost 700,000 Russian soldiers are currently engaged in military operations in Ukraine. This statement was made during a televised meeting with decorated participants from the ongoing conflict, which Russia refers to as a "special military operation."

In his end-of-year press conference in December 2022, Putin reported that 617,000 troops were involved in combat operations, with 244,000 of them having been mobilized. The new figure indicates a significant increase in the number of Russian troops deployed in Ukraine.

This rise in troop numbers comes after Russia launched a major ground assault in the northeastern Kharkiv region in May 2024. Despite this offensive, Moscow rarely discusses its losses in the conflict. The last official figure provided by Russia was in September 2022, when it reported 5,937 soldiers killed in combat. However, independent analyses and Western intelligence assessments estimate Russian casualties to be in the tens of thousands.

The substantial manpower advantage that Russia holds over Ukraine is evident on the battlefield. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has acknowledged challenges with staffing and morale among Ukrainian forces, who are often outgunned and outnumbered. To address these issues, Ukraine has lowered the draft age and implemented stricter penalties for draft evasion. Zelensky emphasized the need to reinforce reserves, noting that many brigades remain understaffed. 

In February 2024, Zelensky reported that approximately 31,000 Ukrainian soldiers had been killed in the first two years of the conflict. This figure underscores the severe human cost of the ongoing war.

The situation remains dire as both sides continue to suffer heavy casualties. The international community watches closely as the conflict evolves, with hopes for a resolution that can bring peace to the region.