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Initially deploying around 360,000 ground troops at the start of the invasion in February 2022, estimates now indicate that approximately 315,000 of those soldiers are either dead or injured. This means that a majority of Russia’s initial force has been decimated, crippling its operational strength.
Moreover, the losses extend beyond personnel. Russia has sustained severe equipment setbacks, losing over two-thirds of its armored tanks. The cumulative toll on personnel and matériel has been so profound that U.S. intelligence officials suggest Russia’s military modernization efforts have been pushed back by roughly 15 years. Such setbacks threaten Russia's future military capacity and strategic positioning in the ongoing conflict.