Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has announced a new military strategy aimed at inflicting heavier losses on Russian forces as the war enters its fourth year. In a January 26 address to military personnel, he said Ukrainian units must ensure that Russian casualties each month exceed the number of reinforcements Moscow can deploy. Zelensky mentioned a target of around 50,000 Russian losses per month, calling it the optimal level to weaken the invading forces.

Citing video analyses, Zelensky claimed that 35,000 Russian soldiers were killed or wounded in December 2025, up from 30,000 in November and 26,000 in October. Ukraine’s top commander, Oleksandr Syrskyi, separately stated that more than 33,000 Russian troops were confirmed killed in December. Ukraine estimates that since the war began, 1.2 million Russian soldiers have been killed or disabled, while the Center for Strategic and International Studies reported similar figures. Al Jazeera noted that none of these casualty numbers could be independently verified.

The conflict remains at a stalemate, with Russia continuing efforts to seize additional territory despite heavy losses.