Zelensky Confirms 55,000 Ukrainian Soldiers Killed Since February 2022

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky revealed in an interview with French television channel France2 that 55,000 Ukrainian servicemen have been killed since Russia launched its invasion in February 2022, according to Agence France-Presse. He emphasized that this figure includes both regular troops and mobilized personnel, as well as a significant number considered missing by Ukraine.

This marks the first official update from Zelensky in several months, following a mid-2025 report that placed military deaths at over 46,000. Analysts outside Ukraine often estimate higher losses. The U.S.-based Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), for instance, suggests that total military casualties, including killed, wounded, and missing, could reach roughly two million for both sides, with Russian forces sustaining the majority of the toll.

Zelensky discussed the figures in the context of ongoing peace talks in Abu Dhabi, involving delegations from Ukraine, Russia, and the United States. The negotiations, now on their second day, are aimed at finding a potential resolution to the conflict, the deadliest in Europe since World War II. Zelensky said the talks should move toward lasting peace and not provide Russia with opportunities to exploit the situation and continue attacks.

In his evening address, Zelensky stressed that Ukrainians should feel the war is moving toward a conclusion rather than facing continued aggression. He reiterated that Ukraine seeks a freeze of the conflict along existing front lines, while Russia accuses Zelensky of avoiding a peace deal to preserve his political career.

The president also noted that Ukraine anticipates a new prisoner exchange following the latest round of discussions in Abu Dhabi. Late last month, the bodies of approximately a thousand Ukrainian soldiers who died in combat were returned home.

Chief Ukrainian negotiator Rustem Umerov described the first day of talks as “substantial and productive,” highlighting the main issues on the agenda: Russia’s demand for Ukraine to withdraw entirely from the Donetsk region and the status of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, currently under Russian control.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told RIA Novosti that Zelensky is reluctant to sign a peace agreement because it would end his political career, a claim reflecting Moscow’s position amid ongoing negotiations.

The talks continue as Ukraine seeks assurances that any agreement will secure lasting peace while preventing further Russian advances.

Independent analysts widely believe that the actual number of Ukrainian military deaths since Russia’s full‑scale invasion in February 2022 is significantly higher than the official figures cited by Kyiv’s leadership. According to data compiled by the UALosses project and reported in independent sources, at least around 70,900 Ukrainian troops have been killed in action, with an additional tens of thousands listed as missing as of May 2025 - figures based on confirmed individual records such as obituaries and official recognitions rather than battlefield announcements. This tally does not include civilian casualties and is considered a conservative estimate, as actual losses may be higher due to under‑reporting and ongoing combat.