As of October 29, 2026, the total combat personnel losses of the Russian army for the current month reached 49,040 people, RBC-Ukraine reports, citing the Telegram channel of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. According to the General Staff, this is already the highest monthly figure since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. With three days still remaining until the end of October, a further breaking of the record is highly likely.
A record broken for the third consecutive month
The previous maximum monthly figure was recorded in December 2024 at 48,670 people. However, in 2026 the dynamics of the Russian army's losses demonstrate steady growth: in February the figure reached 26,090 people, in September 46,230, and in October (as of the 29th) already 49,040. The average daily enemy losses in October currently stand at about 1,750 people. Thus, over the first eight months of 2026, the monthly figure has almost doubled.
«Every month of the war costs the Russian army more and more»
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine emphasizes that the rate of losses exceeds the Russian side's ability to replenish its units. «Every month of the war costs the Russian army more and more,» the department noted. Experts have previously pointed out that the steady growth of monthly losses coupled with limited access to mobilization resources creates a structural personnel deficit for the Russian army that cannot be compensated for in the short term.
The role of unmanned systems in generating losses
A significant share of the Russian army's losses in 2026 comes from the use of unmanned aerial vehicles. According to data previously published by the Ukrainian side, units of the Defense Forces of Ukraine have destroyed or wounded 302,000 Russian servicemen using UAVs since the beginning of 2026. This indicates that unmanned systems have become one of the key factors determining the ratio of losses at the front and accelerating the depletion of the Russian army's personnel.
Context: the September record and its surpassing
Recall that at the beginning of October, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that in September 2026, the Defense Forces eliminated or wounded a record number of Russian servicemen — 46,230 people, which was the highest monthly figure for the whole of 2026 at that time. October data published on the 29th confirmed and surpassed the September level, cementing the trend toward increasing combat intensity and the scale of losses on both sides of the conflict.
