Putin puts almost half of his army in the Donbass.
Almost 40% of Russian military deaths occurred in the battles for Avdiyivka, Pokrovsk and Khamut.
According to the "Financial Times", more than 120,000 Russian soldiers died near Abdiyevka and Pokrovsk, and about 48,000 more near Bakhmut.
Together this is about 37% of the total number of war dead, which the FT estimates at a minimum of 450,000-464,000.
According to the publication, taking into account unknown deaths, the total number of dead by August 2026 may reach 550 thousand.
If the current rate continues, by the end of the year it may increase to 650 thousand.
The estimate of 1.2 million Russian dead, published by the American CSIS in January 2026, includes not only the dead, but also the wounded and missing.
However, these are approximate calculations. The real number may be higher.