Almost 500,000 Russian soldiers have been killed in Putin’s war on Ukraine, says GCHQ
Russia has lost 500,000 soldiers since it began its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Britain’s intelligence chief said in London.
GCHQ director Anne Keast-Butler gave the latest figure on Russian casualties in Ukraine in her first public speech at Bletchley Park, saying it proved Vladimir Putin was “going backwards on the battlefield”.
Ms Keast-Butler warned that Russia risks wider conflict in Europe by targeting critical infrastructure and supply chains on the continent.
He also said Russian security services were behind espionage plots in many countries and accused Moscow of “increasing its daily hybrid activities against the UK and Europe”.
Assessments by Western intelligence and independent analysts indicate that both Russia and Ukraine lost hundreds of thousands of soldiers killed in the war, with Moscow’s losses likely significantly higher than Kiev’s. Neither side publishes regular figures on its own losses, and both accuse each other of exaggerating their enemies’ losses.
A recent estimate by exiled Russian media outlets Meduza and Mediazona suggested that up to 352,000 Russian soldiers had been killed by the end of 2025.
In February, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukraine had lost 55,000 soldiers on the battlefield.
Russia has not published figures on battlefield deaths since January 2023, when it said more than 80 soldiers were killed in the Ukraine attack, putting the total number of military deaths confirmed by Moscow at just over 6,000.
Elsewhere in her speech, Ms. Keast-Butler warned that artificial intelligence was emerging as an “unstoppable force” that was being weaponized in ways that fell far short of traditional warfare.
“I have spent thirty years in national security. And the risk of miscalculation is as high as I have ever seen it,” he said in a speech at the historic World War II code-breaking center near London.
“Tech companies are launching AI-powered innovations at a phenomenal pace with untold consequences, as algorithms are often weaponized just below the threshold of traditional warfare,” he said.
He singled out Russia for its “relentless targeting of critical infrastructure, democratic processes, supply chains and public trust” in Britain and Europe.
Both Russia and China are investing in this field for both military and other purposes, he said, adding that they are working to fend off “reckless sabotage and assassination attempts” as well as cyber attacks.
Moscow and Beijing have routinely denied accusations of cyberattacks or attacks targeting critical infrastructure. There was no immediate response from the Russian embassy in London.
“While we remain steadfast in our support for Ukraine, Putin is moving backwards on the battlefield,” Ms. Keast-Butler said.
European leaders from Poland, Sweden, Norway and Lithuania blamed Russia for a series of alleged attacks in their countries since the start of the war. Poland blamed Russia for a series of drones and explosives planted on a railway line, the disruption of aviation navigation systems in Sweden and the hacking of a dam in Norway. Lithuania accused the organization of planning murder and sabotage across Europe and arrested nine people in connection with the cases.
In her speech, Ms. Keast-Butler also emphasized that China is a science and technology superpower with highly advanced intelligence, cyber and military capabilities.
He noted that Beijing has conducted extensive cyber operations, including the “Salt Typhoon” campaign targeting more than 80 countries.
“The ground beneath our feet is shifting and changing rapidly,” he said. “Cybersecurity is a critical priority for all businesses.”
“Our experts are producing unprecedented levels of advice and guidance, but we need businesses to take immediate action,” he added.
“Not only to protect livelihoods and customers, but also to defend our nation and our economy on the front lines,” he said.
