The war in Ukraine, ongoing since 2022, is already considered the most severe armed conflict of the modern era in terms of the scale of human losses.
Although data from various international institutions and Western intelligence agencies do not always align, the overall picture indicates that both the Russian and Ukrainian sides have faced losses affecting millions of lives over three years.
According to calculations by Western military analysts, Russia's total military losses (including both killed and wounded who have completely lost combat capability) range between 900,000 and 1 million people. Although official figures have not been disclosed, the number of fatalities is estimated at approximately 250,000.
There is also no precise information regarding the losses of the Ukrainian army. According to **Modern.az**, international studies indicate that the country has lost 60–100 thousand military personnel to date, and approximately 400 thousand military personnel have been wounded and removed from combat.
Thus, since the beginning of the war, total military losses on the front are estimated to be **1.3–1.5 million people**. Statements by US officials, however, indicate that this figure is “**already approaching 2 million**”.
Civilian casualties are also significant. According to UN data, over **14,000 civilians** have been killed to date, and tens of thousands have been wounded. The organization does not rule out that the real figures may be higher.
When comparing the scale of the Ukraine war with other modern wars, experts note that this conflict is already approaching the losses seen in the **Iran–Iraq** and **Soviet–Afghan** wars. The death toll in the **Korean** and **Vietnam** wars rose to 3 million. Although the Ukraine war has not yet reached this threshold, it is considered extremely severe in terms of human losses for a short period of three years.
The war that caused the most human casualties throughout history is World War II. Between 1939–1945, **70–85 million people** lost their lives. In the post-war period, the bloodiest conflict was the Yugoslav Wars – 130–150 thousand people were killed. In the Winter War between Finland and the USSR, 130–150 thousand people lost their lives. The war in Ukraine, ongoing since 2022, is Europe's largest-scale and deadliest conflict since World War II.
Earlier events such as the Mongol invasions, the Taiping Rebellion, and the "Three Kingdoms" period in China are remembered for death tolls ranging between **20–60 million**. In World War I, **15–22 million** people were killed, and tens of millions were wounded.
Modern Analysis and Research Group
