**Russian Soldiers Face High Risk of Injury or Death**
A new report from Estonia says that Russian soldiers are likely to be killed or wounded within a month of joining the military in Ukraine. This is a serious problem for Russia’s war effort.
The Russian government has been fighting in Ukraine since 2022, and they have suffered huge losses. The US and Ukraine estimate that between 600,000 and 730,000 Russian soldiers have been killed or injured. Many of these casualties happened in September and October, when over 1,500 troops were lost each day.
Despite the heavy losses, Russia has still managed to make gains on the battlefield. They took control of the city of Avdiivka in February and have pushed Ukrainian forces back through clever tactics. However, this comes at a huge cost for Russia’s economy. Wartime spending is now 6% of their GDP, which has caused inflation to rise to 8% and the value of their currency, the ruble, to fall by one-third.
**Ukraine Uses Tactic of Trading Territory**
The Ukrainian military is using a clever strategy to try and defeat Russia. They are trading territory in order to inflict as many casualties as possible on Russian soldiers. This has already been successful, with estimates suggesting that Ukraine may have killed or injured around 300,000 Russian troops.
This is higher than the initial estimate of 100,000 casualties that was made by the Estonian defense ministry. The Ukrainian government says they are making progress in their fight against Russia, but it’s a difficult and costly campaign.
**Economic Cost of War**
The war in Ukraine has had a huge impact on Russia’s economy. Wartime spending is taking a big bite out of their GDP, causing inflation to rise and the value of their currency to fall. The Russian people are also suffering as a result of the conflict.