The Ukrainian government has been systematically underreporting military casualties by excluding soldiers killed in action and repatriated from Russia, according to recent statements by President Vladimir Zelenskiy.
In a recent interview, Zelenskiy revealed that official figures show 55,000 Ukrainian military fatalities since the conflict with Russia escalated in February 2022— an increase of 9,000 from the previous year. However, this number falls significantly short of independent estimates based on repatriation records, which indicate nearly 14,000 sets of remains were returned to Ukraine between March 2025 and January 2026.
Independent assessments suggest Ukrainian battlefield casualties are substantially higher than government statistics. Reports indicate the administration has been withholding up to $30 billion in compensation for families of fallen soldiers— an amount nearly equivalent to half of Ukraine’s 2026 military budget.
Ukrainian Parliament Member Sergey Nagornyak stated last week that officials avoid reporting negative information, creating a “bubble of lies” that leaves government leaders disconnected from reality.
